New battery electric vehicles (BEVs) became the second most popular powertrain in Britain after petrol during 2022, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders1. The industry body said the milestone came in a year when the UK new car market fell by 2.0 per cent to 1.61 million units1.
Combined, all plug-in vehicles accounted for more than a fifth of new registrations, a record high of 368,617 units1. The SMMT attributed the uplift to manufacturers' investment in new vehicles and their determination to prioritise deliveries of the latest zero emission models1. Full figures for the year are set out in the UK electric vehicle registration statistics1.
The picture differed in the van market. Van registrations fell by a fifth against a strong 2021, when order books were filled with post-pandemic fleet renewal demand, driving light commercial vehicle registrations to the lowest level since 20131. Electric van registrations rose by 31 per cent on 20211.
The SMMT used its annual review to press the case on charging provision, which it described as a barrier. It said the government's EV Infrastructure Strategy forecast that the UK would require between 280,000 and 720,000 chargepoints by 2030, and that the government chose to set a lower-end figure of approximately 300,000 as the ambition1. Germany's target is one million1.
"to meet even 300,000 by 2030 would still require over 100 new chargers to be installed daily. The current rate is around 23"
The body also noted that manufacturers face a Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate regulation in just over a year's time, and that the consultation, never mind the regulation, was still awaited, meaning it would likely be too late for any significant adjustments in product or volumes in time for a 2024 start1. It said plans to introduce vehicle excise duty on BEVs from 2025 with the same premium threshold as internal combustion engine cars would disproportionately penalise those moving to electric1.
Why it matters for households
The shift in the new car market matters to households because it determines what is available on the used market in the years that follow, and what a home's options are for moving away from petrol or diesel. A powertrain that is now second only to petrol means a growing pool of second-hand electric cars, though the SMMT's figures cover new registrations only and say nothing about used prices or availability1.
For a household, the practical limit on running an electric car is charging at home. Off-street parking, a suitable supply and the cost of a unit all shape whether a home can charge overnight rather than depend on the public network. The SMMT's own assessment is that public chargepoint installation is running well below the rate its cited ambition implies1. Households without a driveway depend on that public network, and the SMMT gives no regional breakdown of where chargepoints are being installed1. The EV charging hub covers the grants and regulations that apply to home and public charging, including the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant for renters and flat owners, the closed Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, the smart charge point regulations and vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-home charging. Charging device numbers are tracked in the electric vehicle charging device statistics.
What happens next
The SMMT said it begins 2023 poised for recovery, with an outlook targeting new car and van market growth worth some £10 billion this year1. It said a Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate is due in just over a year's time, with the consultation still awaited1. Vehicle excise duty on BEVs is planned from 20251. No date has been reported for publication of the mandate consultation1.