Electric car sales to reach 580,000 in 2026
Electric car sales in the UK are expected to increase to 580,000 this year, representing 29% of all new car sales.
This is a 5.6% increase on 2025, when 473,348 new electric cars were sold in the UK.
According to research carried out by DriveElectric, the uptick will be driven by a range of factors including more Chinese models entering the UK, improved battery performance, and financial incentives such as the Electric Car Grant and low benefit in kind (BIK) tax rates.
However, this remains below the 33% stipulated by the ZEV Mandate.
Meanwhile, electric light commercial vehicles are expected to rise by 50% to about 45,000 units
Adam Kemp, partnerships director, DriveElectric, said: “There are a range of factors which will provide the opportunity for increasing numbers of motorists to make the switch to EVs in 2026, including the Electric Car Grant, continued incentives for fleet customers, interest rates reducing, and an extremely competitive EV market space offering more affordable models with longer driving ranges.
“But it’s electric vans that promise to be the really interesting story in 2026, with our forecasts showing a 50% increase in registrations, thanks to longer driving ranges and more affordable pricing for new models, such as the Kia PV5.”
