The UK’s new-car market saw a strong performance during August, in what is traditionally a slow month prior to the September plate change.
With a 13.7% jump in registrations, a total of 94,236 new cars took to the roads, according to the latest data from the SMMT. This marked the best August since the plate change was moved to a biennial event in 1999.
However, for only the second time ever, and the first time without a potentially artificial push, plug-in cars, made up of battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) outsold internal combustion engine models, incorporating petrol and diesel, in the month.
There has been an increase in interest in BEV models, especially since the war in Iran began to push up fuel prices. However, despite this, the technology’s market share is still below that required by the ZEV mandate this year, highlighting the need for the early government review that was announced last month.
This highlights the need to consider EV servicing, especially as the number of cars with an electrified powertrain is growing in the UK.
BEVS impress in new car market
BEVs saw a 27.7% jump in registrations in August, as 28,063 units were delivered to customers. This was 6,094 units more than the same period last year. Thanks to the relatively low volume in the month, the technology’s market share spiked, to 29.8%.
This meant that after eight months of the year, the BEV market saw 355,746 registrations, a 28.6% increase. However, this only equates to a 25.6% market share, well below the 33% requirement of the ZEV mandate in 2026.
While far below petrol, BEVs remain the second-best powertrain type in the UK market, indicating that workshops are likely to see an increasing number enter their repair bays in the coming years.
According to SMMT data, the top selling BEV in August was the Tesla Model 3, while the Tesla Model Y rounded out a top two lockout for the US brand. However, the fairly new Jaecoo E5 was the fourth-best-selling model, after the Vauxhall Frontera.
The Chinese carmaker has been creating a storm in the UK new car market, with its J7 model leading the overall sales chart in March, the highest-volume month of the year so far. Although it was the only Chinese brand in the BEV top 10, there are around 14 new carmakers from the country with models on sale in the UK, as the automotive landscape continues to change.
Plug-in models dominate
Although with lower volumes, the plug-in hybrid market continues to make waves, with new car registrations jumping 39.8% in August. A total of 13,707 units were delivered, giving the technology a 14.5% market share. This placed it firmly ahead of full hybrids.
The combined total of BEV and PHEV registrations was more than the deliveries of petrol and diesel models, for only the second time ever. Prior to August, it was December 2025 when plug-in models outshone ICE, and that was, in part, due to a push by carmakers to get more BEVs registered, to close in on ZEV mandate requirements.
August saw plug in models take a combined share of 44.3% of new car registrations. ICE, meanwhile, held a 43% market share. The month may, therefore, represent a turning point. The two sectors have been close since May, as rising fuel prices make BEVs and PHEVs more attractive to potential buyers.
Whether plug-in models can hold this position in September, especially with plate-changes, remains to be seen. But there is now a growing demand, fuelled in part by Chinese models.
Across the first eight months of the year, PHEVs have seen a 37.9% rise in registrations, with 185,198 units and a 13.3% share. This has helped plug-in models achieve a 39% hold of the total new car market, still 8.1 percentage points behind ICE over the course of 2026 so far.
Petrol hits historic low
While BEVs and PHEVs see a rapid rise in interest, petrol models still dominated the new car market in August. With 36,048 registrations, petrol dipped by just 3.5% across the month. It still held 38.3% of the market, but this was its lowest market share in history.
Petrol cars are not at risk of losing their top ranking any time soon. But growth in the new car market is being driven by electrified models, changing the automotive landscape in the UK.
Since January, petrol has seen 589,842 registrations, with a 3.1% loss. After eight months, it held a 42.5% share of total new car deliveries.
Diesel, meanwhile, saw a rare improvement in August, albeit on small volumes. With 4,478 registrations, figures were up 4%. That only equated to an additional 171 units year on year. After eight months, diesel has declined 10.7%, with 63,622 units delivered.
Hybrids fall behind
Full hybrids (HEVs) were the fourth-best-selling powertrain in August, with 11,940 units. This was still a strong year on year improvement, of 26.3%. The technology has been in a competitive fight with PHEVs for market share, but the plug-in technology won out last month. HEVs accounted for 12.7% of the overall total.
After eight months of the year, HEVs are still leading PHEVs. Volumes reached 194,327 units after August, with a 14% market share.
“August was a bright spot for the new car market and another strong month for electric car uptake, showing that motorists are responding to the huge choice and compelling offers available,” commented SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes. “But August is a low-volume month, so September will be the acid test.
“The industry is doing everything it can to help drivers switch, but mandate targets must be grounded in the reality of demand. Government’s review is the right move so we can ensure the transition is kept on track, consumer choice protected and the jobs and investment necessary to deliver net zero and economic growth are safeguarded.”
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