UK new car registrations rose 5.4% in October to 152,730, the market's 11th consecutive month of growth, as battery electric vehicles took a record 32% share of sales. The figures, from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), show electric cars driving all of the month's growth.

Battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations increased by 32.7% to 48,858 units, securing a 32.0% market share — their highest share this year — as manufacturers intensified discounting and offers to bring registrations closer to the annual mandated target. Plug-in hybrid registrations rose 30.1% to 22,898, taking a 15.0% share. Together, electrified cars accounted for almost six in 10 registrations in the month. Fleet registrations rose 5.4% to 89,985 units, while private registrations climbed 4.1% to 58,229.

The mandate gap is widening

The headline monthly share should not be confused with the year-to-date picture. More than half a million BEVs — 503,805 — have been registered so far in 2026, up 30.4% on a year ago, but that gives a year-to-date share of just 26.6%. The SMMT now expects BEV share to reach 27.2% by the end of the year, against the 33% target set by the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate.

The gap is set to widen further. The SMMT forecasts a 32% BEV share next year against a 38% target, and 37.5% by 2028 against a 52% mandate — a shortfall of 14.5 percentage points, more than double this year's gap. SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said almost one in three new cars registered in October was electric, but that the progress came at enormous cost to manufacturers through incentives, including the government's Electric Car Grant.

Sources: SMMT, Year-end push lifts EV sales but mandate gap set to widen, 5 November 2026; Reuters, UK new car sales rise 5.4% in October, SMMT data shows, 5 November 2026.