UK posts strongest-ever month for BEV registrations in September
Last month, Battery-electric vehicle sales reached record monthly volumes in the UK, with registrations rising by 36.3 per cent year-on-year to 99,199 units. According to preliminary figures from SMMT, the overall market share of BEVs also climbed to 28.3 per cent.
Image: Tesla
The record result came in the first month of the new plate year, and was bolstered by a growing range of electric models, manufacturer incentives, and the government’s Electric Car Grant (ECG) scheme.
According to the Society, it means that BEV registrations in the UK reached 454,945 within the first nine months of 2026 – an increase of 30.2 per cent over the same period last year. Their market share for the year to date now stands at 26.2 per cent, compared with 20.2 per cent at the same point in 2025.
Tesla’s Model 3 was the UK’s best-selling BEV last month with 9,929 registrations, followed by the Model Y, the BYD Sealion 7, the BYD Seal and the Kia EV3 in that order. All this is according to preliminary SMMT data ahead of Monday, when full and final numbers will be published.
Commenting on September’s results, the SMMT said it demonstrates the potential for further growth in the electric car market, but warned that the rate of adoption remains below the level required by the UK’s ZEV mandate which requires a 33 per cent BEV share of new car sales in 2026.
“Based on the latest industry outlook for a 2.183-million-unit market, a 33 per cent share would require an additional 265,000 new BEV registrations in the final quarter alone, illustrating how, despite the range of regulatory flexibilities available, targets continue to outpace demand,” the Society explained.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, added: “September’s record EV performance is a major achievement. Drivers are increasingly embracing the growing choice of models made available and high fuel prices are also undoubtedly giving more consumers reason to consider going electric.
“The industry’s commitment is clear with billions of pounds of investment in new models, new technology and incentives. Despite all these factors, uptake remains behind mandated targets and, whilst flexibilities help, the UK still has the world’s toughest targets and highest energy costs.”
Beyond BEVs, SMMT’s report also posted promising data for plug in-hybrids; PHEVs recorded their strongest-ever monthly result in September, accounting for 17 per cent of the market with registrations rising 55.7 per cent year-on-year. Conventional hybrids meanwhile fell 4.2 per cent to 45,838 units.
Overall, BEVs, PHEVs and conventional hybrids together accounted for 58.4 per cent of all new car registrations in September. This is in the context of the wider car market itself, which grew by 12.1 per cent to 350,518 units – marking its strongest September since 2017.
