Electric Cars Close Gap With Petrol in UK Market, Data Shows

Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and petrol cars are on the verge of crossing over in the UK new car market, with recent data showing the closest gap between the two powertrains since the current tracking began.

What Happened

According to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), BEVs captured 32% of the UK’s new car market in October, while petrol cars fell to 37.2%. This represents the narrowest margin between the two categories to date. In October, BEV registrations rose 32.7% to 48,858 units, while petrol registrations dropped 11.6% to 56,876 units. The overall new car market grew 5.4% year-over-year to 152,730 registrations, marking the 11th consecutive month of growth.

Why It Matters

The data indicates that electric cars could outsell petrol vehicles in the UK within a year, with a potential crossover occurring as soon as this December. Electrek’s analysis of SMMT trends suggests that while linear projections point to an August 2027 crossover, historical patterns of automakers pushing volume to meet Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate targets in December could accelerate this shift. If the December pattern holds, BEVs could reach approximately 37% share against petrol’s 32%, marking the first time BEVs beat petrol in SMMT’s headline numbers. This trend highlights the growing dominance of plug-in vehicles, with conventional hybrids also seeing a decline, while Chinese brands such as BYD, Jaecoo, and Chery drive significant growth in the EV sector.

The Bottom Line

With BEV market share rising and petrol share falling, the UK is approaching a historic milestone where electric vehicles may become the preferred powertrain over petrol. The SMMT continues to urge the government to cut ZEV Mandate targets, citing a forecasted 27.2% BEV share for the full year against a 33% requirement, though the data shows strong consumer uptake of electric vehicles.