Electrified vehicles dominated the monthly new car registration figures in September, with the combination of full hybrids (HEVs), plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) outpacing petrol and diesel models for the first time.
September saw the UK new-car market bounce back, thanks to the traditional ‘new-plate’ release inspiring the market. In total, 312,891 passenger cars were registered, an increase of 13.7%.
The SMMT, which provides registrations data in the UK, highlighted that this was the best September result since 2020.
March and September are traditionally the strongest months for registrations in the UK. September saw the ‘75’ plate released, helping to boost deliveries. This helped boost the country’s year-to-date figures. In the first nine months of 2025, a total of 1,578,172 passenger cars took to UK roads, up 4.2% compared to the same period in 2024.
All market sectors drove growth, with the biggest increase recorded by fleets, where volumes rose 16.9% with 174,336 units delivered. Private consumer demand also rose, up 8.9% to 131,003 units. Business registrations improved 28.6% to reach 7,552 units.
Electrified dominance
For the first time, electrified vehicles led the monthly figures. In total, 158,972 units featured a major electric presence within their powertrain, an increase of 32.9%. This gave the combination of HEVs, BEVs and PHEVs a 50.8% market share, up 7.3 percentage points (pp).
The SMMT splits HEVs and mild hybrids (MHEVs), rather than combining them like other major European markets. MHEVs are then combined with their respective petrol or diesel categories.
This means that it has taken longer for electrified registration figures to overtake their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts in the UK. However, September’s results show for the first time, a majority of passenger cars delivered to customers are able to travel even a short distance on electric-power only.
With a trend of decline in ICE registrations, and the UK’s BEV and PHEV markets continuing to grow, it is likely that electrified vehicles will now continue to lead the market in the country.
However, in the year-to-date figures, ICE still leads the way. Electrified models accounted for 744,722 deliveries in the first nine months of the year, up 24.1%. This was an increase of 144,820 units. Their market share rose by 7.6pp compared to the same period last year, to 47.2%.
There was a difference of just 5,053 units between electrified and ICE registrations in September, in favour of electrified models. Therefore, it may take time for ICE to be toppled in the year-to-date chart, with the gap currently at 88,728 units.
What this means for the aftermarket
For workshops, this shift in new car deliveries, with electrified vehicles becoming the dominant propulsion type, should signal a turning point. Drivers now want some form of electric propulsion in their vehicles, and as sales of these models increase, so too does the likelihood that in three years, they will enter independent garages across the UK.
The change in dominance between electrified and internal combustion engine (ICE) models has been coming for some time. In August, traditional powertrains barely held on to their market-leading position. With petrol and diesel deliveries in decline, it is likely that now electrified models will continue to dominate market figures.
These electrified registrations, made up of the three powertrains with a major electric component, are led by BEVs. This all-electric technology has been the second-favourite option for drivers in the UK for some time, and with incentives in place, now they are likely to continue their growth in the new car registrations figures.
BEVs saw their best-ever month in terms of volumes during September. In total, 72,779 all-electric models made it to UK roads, a 29.1% increase year on year. This gave the zero-emission technology a 23.3% share of total deliveries, up by 2.8pp
Although this market share was the fourth-highest of the year, it came during one of the country’s highest-volume months. The figure also beat the other new-plate period of March, showing the technology’s growth across the year. Yet the share is still lower than the 28% required by the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate for carmakers in 2025.
In the first three quarters of the year, BEV registrations are up 29.5%, with 349,414 deliveries. This equates to 22.1% of the market, a 4.3pp increase compared to the same period last year.
Incentives starting to work
September was the first full month of the UK’s Electric Car Grant with eligible vehicles. The scheme, which sees up to £3,750 offered in discounts against a new BEV, was introduced in July 2025, with the first eligible models were unveiled on 5 August. As of 6 October, there are 38 models available for discounts.
However, only two of these, the Ford Puma Gen-E and Ford E-Tourneo Courier, are available with the full discount. Others, including models from Stellantis, Renault Group, Nissan and Volkswagen Group, are available with the lower £1,500 discount.
The SMMT highlighted that the eligible models make up around 25% of all available BEV models in the UK market. Combined, these vehicles increased their registrations by 36% in September, compared to a 29.9% improvement for non-qualifying BEVs.
The Ford Puma was also the market leader in September, with 41,531 units delivered. However, this includes the petrol variant of the model.
‘Electrified vehicles are powering market growth after a sluggish summer, and with record zero-emission vehicle uptake, massive industry investment is paying off, despite demand still trailing ambition,’ commented Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT.
‘The Electric Car Grant will help to break down one of the barriers holding back more drivers from making the switch, and tackling remaining roadblocks, by unlocking infrastructure investment and driving down energy costs, will be crucial to the success of the industry and the environmental goals we share,’ he added.
Hybrids help electrified market
While BEVs enjoyed a record month in terms of volumes, another powertrain in the electrified market, PHEVs, also enjoyed a strong month. In total, 38,308 units were registered in September, a 56.4% improvement compared to the same month last year. This is the highest volume for PHEVs so far in 2025.
The result gave the powertrain a 12.2% share of the market, up from 8.9% recorded a year prior. This was, however, not enough to repeat its achievement in August, of begin more popular than HEVs.
In the first nine months of the year, PHEVs saw 172,639 registrations, a 38.2% improvement. This means the technology continues to outpace BEVs in terms of growth, if not volumes. The plug-in technology held 10.9% of the market, up 2.6pp year on year.
This meant that in September, the electric vehicle (EV) market, made up of BEVs and PHEVs, grew 37.4%, with 30,214 more models taking to UK roads. This gave the technology 35.5% of the total registrations volume in September, up 6.1pp.
Between January and September, EV deliveries are up 32.2%, with 127,197 more units registered. This means the technology holds almost a third of the market, with a share of 33.1%, up by 7pp year on year.
HEVs also was strong growth in September, although figures did not improve as much as those of BEVs and PHEVs. Still, 47,885 units were delivered in the month, up 23.5% compared to the same period last year. This gave the powertrain a 15.3% market share, up 1.2pp
In the first nine months of 2025, HEVs have totalled 222,669 registrations, an 8.6% improvement. Their market share has increased by 0.6pp, to 14.1% across 2025 so far.
Mixed ICE
Despite losing their monthly dominance for the first time to electrified vehicles, it was not all bad news for the ICE market in September.
Petrol registrations grew 2.4% in the month, with 141,310 units delivered. This was the first time since March 2024 that the fuel-type saw a monthly improvement. The performance gave petrol a 45.2% market share in the month, making it still the most popular single powertrain.
Yet, with improvements elsewhere in a diversifying market, this share was 4.9pp down compared to September 2024.
In the first nine months of the year, petrol has struggled. September’s performance may provide a respite, but the powertrain was still down 8.2% across the year, with 749,794 units delivered. This left the technology with a 47.5% market share, still leading in terms of individual powertrains, but down 6.4pp.
Diesel continued to struggle, and was the only powertrain to record a decline in September. In total, 12,609 units were registered, down 28.2% year on year. Market share also declined, by 2.4pp, to 4%.
Between January and September, diesel deliveries dropped 14.3% with 83,656 registrations. Their market share ended the period at 5.3%, down 1.1pp.
Combined ICE registrations dropped in the month, by 1.1%, thanks to diesel’s poor performance. This equated to 1,661 fewer units delivered to customers. The technology lost its market-leading position with a total share of 49.2%, down 7.3pp.
However, ICE still leads in 2025, although registrations are down 8.8%, with 833,450 deliveries. This is a change of 80,724 units compared to the first nine months of 2024. Their market share of 52.8% is still dominant, but down by 7.6pp year on year.
