In April, growth was recorded across all sectors, led by fleets, up 26.8% to 90,462 registrations, according to figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Private retail deliveries grew 20.2% to reach 56,116, while registrations by the smaller business sector rose 15% to 2,669.
Electrified cars accounted for more than half (53.2%) of the new car market for the second month this year.
Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) registrations rose 46.4% to take a 13.8% market share, while hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) increased 18.8%, securing 13.2% of new registrations.
Overall, the UK new car market grew by 24.0% to reach 149,247 registrations last month.
Demand for petrol cars rose 8.2%, while diesel registrations fell 1%.
The SMMT said that the increase reflected a rebound from an unusually weak April last year, when buyers pulled purchases forward to March to beat incoming vehicle tax increases, including the application of VED and the Expensive Car Supplement (ECS) on battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
While April remained a traditionally low-volume month, this was the best outturn since 2019’s 161,064 units.
April also saw the two millionth battery electric car registered (2,012,758), following bumper growth of 59.1% compared with last year.
As a result, BEV uptake reached a robust 26.2% share of registrations in the month.
Year to date, BEVs comprised 23.1% of the overall new car market, short of the 33% required by the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate.
The SMMT’s industry outlook showed improving confidence in overall market volumes but also reflects weaker expectations for EV demand.
Total new car registrations in 2026 are now expected to rise 3.6% to 2.093 million, up from January’s 2.048 million outlook, but the BEV share has dropped 26.8%, from 28.5%, following an underperforming first quarter.
Looking ahead, the 2027 market is anticipated to reach 2.121 million units, 32.0% of them BEVs – leaving a persistent gap of around 6% against the mandate target.
Energy, production and charging costs remain high and, as a result, demand has not grown as fast as assumed when the regulation was formulated.
The Iran conflict adds further uncertainty, with rising interest in EVs potentially tempered by concern over inflation, higher energy prices and the resultant negative impact on the cost of living, according to the SMMT.
It added that the UK similarly needs an urgent review of the transition to avoid being put in an uncompetitive position, undermining consumer choice, investment and growth.
Mike Hawes, chief executive at the SMMT, said: “April’s rebound is welcome, but underlines just how significantly fiscal changes can influence the market.
“Two million electric car registrations is a considerable milestone to celebrate, although natural demand is still well below the level demanded by the mandate.
“The mounting cost of compliance threatens to limit consumer choice, overall decarbonisation and the sector’s competitiveness so the need for a rapid review of the transition to align policy with market realities is unchanged, else Britain’s attractiveness as a vehicle market and manufacturing hub will be put at risk.”
Reactions:
Ian Plummer, chief customer officer at Autotrader:
“Despite a backdrop of geopolitical instability, UK car buying positivity continued apace in April with the UK’s new car market seeing a significant year-on-year increase, and an April monthly performance that is the nearest we’ve been to pre-pandemic highs.
“While this year-on-year growth is in part driven by comparison with last years’ changes to VED rates and Expensive Car Supplement, with new car enquiries surging by 43% on Autotrader it looks increasingly as if the higher levels of competition from new brands entering the market, a continued surge of exciting new launches – as well as enhanced consumer offers – are driving car buyers back into showrooms in ever bigger numbers.
“As well as a strong month for electric sales, April also marked two consecutive months of average new EV pricing sitting below petrol, ending the month with a £455 price gap – up from £296 in March.”
Melanie Lane, CEO at Pod:
“The latest SMMT figures reflect a market that’s building consistent momentum, with more than two million EVs now on UK roads and over 100,000 drivers benefiting from the Electric Car Grant.
“Recent Autotrader research highlighted that EVs are now cheaper to buy than ICE vehicles on average, while charging continues to be cheaper than petrol not only at home but now also across the public network, according to ChargeUK.
“The focus now must be delivering the right policy framework and infrastructure to keep this momentum going.”
James Hosking, managing director at AA Cars:
“April’s figures suggest the new car market has maintained momentum beyond the March plate-change boost, which is an encouraging sign for the industry.
“While March typically does the heavy lifting, sustained demand into April points to underlying resilience among buyers, even as economic pressures remain.
“However, the market is still operating against a complex backdrop. Persistently high fuel prices, driven in part by ongoing tensions in the Middle East, are continuing to influence consumer decisions.
“That’s helping to accelerate interest in electric vehicles, as drivers look for more certainty over running costs. For many, the appeal of EVs is no longer just environmental, but increasingly financial.
“That said, affordability remains a key challenge. Higher borrowing costs and general household pressures mean many buyers are still weighing up whether to commit to a new vehicle or explore the used market instead.
“We’re seeing that reflected in continued strong demand for used cars where buyers have more flexibility on price.
“In particular, our latest data shows EV searches were up by almost a fifth in April compared to March, following a 62% increase in searches in March, suggesting the shift in consumer behaviour is gathering pace.
“The key question for the months ahead is whether this momentum can be sustained if wider cost pressures persist.”
Philipp Sayler von Amende, global chief commercial officer at Carwow:
“The sharp uplift in new car sales in April is echoed in our own enquiry data, which bodes well for sales in May. Overall enquiries passed to our dealer partners increased 18% year-on-year in April, with demand for battery electric cars up 47%.
“Petrol and diesel demand tells the other side of the story. Enquiries for ICE cars fell 21% in the same period, suggesting the structural shift away from the pump is accelerating.
“What’s perhaps most striking is the sheer breadth of Chinese models now appearing in our top enquiries.
“The Jaecoo 7, BYD Seal and OMODA 5 all occupy the top ten most enquired on models in April alongside more familiar names like the Renault 5 E-Tech — which itself is up 105% year-on-year.
“Consumers are clearly becoming more open to new brands: our own research shows 35% of UK buyers would now consider a Chinese brand, up from 31% in 2024.”
