UK new car sales hit four year high as electric vehicle demand soars

WorldCars
7 Apr 2026 • 7:12 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

image is not available

  • The UK's new car market recorded its best month for registrations since 2019, with 380,627 vehicles registered in March, a 6.6 per cent increase year-on-year.
  • Growth was primarily driven by a 10.1 per cent rise in retail registrations from the private sector, alongside increases in fleet and business registrations.
  • March also marked the best month on record for all types of electrified vehicles, with full electric vehicles reaching a new high of 86,120 registrations, up 24.2 per cent.
  • Despite record electric vehicle sales, their market share of 22.6 per cent in March remains significantly below the 33 per cent Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate target for 2026.
  • Conversely, demand for diesel cars continued to decline, falling by 11.4 per cent compared to the previous year.