According to a new industry report, the number of new cars registered in August saw a 77% surge in those that were electric compared to 2022.
According to New AutoMotive’s electric car count, one in five new cars registered as electric represents the strongest-ever month for EV registrations in 2023.
The combined growth in battery electric and hybrid vehicle sales in August sparked the lowest share of petrol and diesel purchases ever seen, with just over three in five (62.2%) of cars registered powered entirely by a combustion engine.
Electric vans also saw an increase last month, accounting for 8% of new van registrations.
Initiatives to drive EV uptake in the UK
New cars registered that are powered by fossil fuels are now at an all-time low, with registrations of both accounting for the smallest share of new cars in any twelve-month period for the last 20 years.
Diesel vehicle registration has slumped further to just 6.3%, with the number of diesel cars on the road now “falling rapidly.”
Ben Nelmes, Chief Executive of New AutoMotive, said: “It’s great to see British motorists embracing clean cars in their thousands.
“Despite an unprecedented cost of living crisis and rising interest rates, demand for electric cars has remained surprisingly resilient.”
He added: “The government should build on this progress by putting in place a strong California-style Zero Emissions Vehicle Mandate to give car companies and EV charger installers certainty.”
Ben Nelmes also called on the government to build on the progress being made by introducing a ZEV mandate, similar to the one seen in California.
This Zero Emission Vehicle mandate would give car companies and installers of electric chargers certainty.
The policy was first announced almost two years ago, with a consultation launched earlier this year. It is expected to launch in 2024.
Tesla dominates the figures for new cars registered
Tesla continues to dominate EV sales, with Elon Musk’s brand securing 5% of the market in August, and dominating the amount of new cars registered for most of the year.
This was followed by MG in second and BMW in third, with four in ten BMWs sold in August being fully electric.
Will these figures help with achieving net zero?
New cars registered being predominantly electric aligns with the UK Government’s net zero goals. A full transition to electric vehicles is one of the most crucial factors in achieving this.
The percentage of electric vehicles in the number of new cars registered must continue to rise. The Climate Change Committee says the government must drive this by implementing various policies and addressing wider transportation emissions through reduced fossil fuel use.
Commenting on this, Greenpeace UK‘s Policy Director Doug Parr, argued: “The government may say the 2030 petrol and diesel phase-out date is immovable, but unless it brings in the overdue mandate on manufacturers to ramp up production to meet it, the deadline is likely to be missed.”
