Zero emission vehicles surge by 20% in a year
New government data has revealed a 20% year-on-year increase in zero emission vehicles on UK roads.
According to vehicle licensing statistics published by the Department for Transport, there were 1,394,000 licensed zero emission vehicles on the roads in December 2024. This is an increase of 37% on 2023.
Meanwhile, licensed zero emission cars rose 38% in 12 months to 1,287,000.
Comparing 2024 sales to 2023, it found total zero emission vehicle registrations rose 20% to 410,000, while sales of zero emission cars was up 22% to 382,000.
This meant that at the end of 2024 zero emission vehicles accounted for 3.4% of all road using vehicles, an increase of 0.9% from the end of 2023.
Electric vehicle momentum
Jack Cousens, the AA’s head of roads policy, said: “The march of the electric vehicles continues, with the registration of new electric cars boosted by more than 22% in the past year to make them 19.1% of all new cars sold. The transformation of the UK car population is clearly happening.
“However, a combination of financial pressures on car owners and the legacy of 2017’s switch to a standard rate of Vehicle Excise Duty has led to owners of older cars clinging on to them. With standard car tax now at £195 a year, hanging on to a vehicle that could be paying as little as £20 a year in tax is a huge incentive.
“Overall, these figures present a mixed picture with a leap in those embracing new technology, whilst others were holding on to their older vehicles longer perhaps reflecting the economy and reticence to go electric.”
