The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said on 25 May 2023 that the choice of battery electric car models available to British drivers has quadrupled over the past five years, and that new battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations rose by 25.6 per cent year on year in the first four months of 2023.
The industry body said there are now around 80 electric models across every vehicle segment, compared with 21 in 2018, meaning almost one in four car models is available as a BEV1. It reported BEV registrations of 96,7055 between January and April 2023, against 77,064 in the same period of 20221. The SMMT said the range of options had "inspired more than three quarters of a million drivers to make the switch"1.
Buyers can also choose from 94 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and 42 hybrid (HEV) models, so electrified vehicles make up almost two-thirds of all models available, out of a total of 327 models across all powertrains1. The SMMT put the average distance an electric car can travel on a single charge at 236 miles, rising to almost 300 miles for models coming to market for the first time in 2023, up from 210 in 2020, with some models offering ranges above 450 miles1. It cited Department for Transport National Travel Survey figures from August 2022 giving average annual mileage of 5,300 miles1.
Beyond cars, the SMMT counted 23 models of electric van, 14 models of zero emission buses powered by electric or hydrogen, and 20 models of electric truck available in the UK1. It said the market is heading towards 2035, when the sale of all non-zero emission vehicles weighing less than 26 tonnes ends1.
"Britain's drivers are benefitting from the massive investment made by manufacturers over many years to deliver an electric car choice for every need. We now require a framework that ensures everyone can benefit from zero emission mobility."
The SMMT said the UK government has already committed more than £2 billion towards increasing public chargepoint provision, and argued that binding targets on chargepoint rollout, in line with vehicle sales targets due to be set by the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate, would accelerate infrastructure growth1. It also called for changes to Vehicle Excise Duty, a fiscal framework supporting company drivers and other incentives for private purchasers, and equalising VAT between public chargepoints and home charging1. The government has not responded to those calls in this announcement, and no dates for a response have been reported.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| BEV models available, 2023 | Around 80 |
| BEV models available, 2018 | 21 |
| BEV registrations, January to April 2023 | 96,7055 |
| BEV registrations, January to April 2022 | 77,064 |
| Year-on-year change | 25.6 per cent |
| Average electric car range | 236 miles |
| Average range, models new in 2023 | Almost 300 miles |
| Average range, 2020 | 210 miles |
Why it matters for households
Model choice and range are the two numbers a household weighs when deciding whether an electric car can replace a petrol or diesel one. A wider spread of models across segments, from small urban cars to larger family vehicles, means more households can find a body style and price point that fits, rather than compromising on the one or two electric models that once existed. The range figures matter for the same reason: an average of 236 miles, and almost 300 miles for newly launched models, sits well above the 5,300 miles a year the SMMT cites as average annual mileage, which works out at roughly 100 miles a week1.
For a home's energy independence, the car is only half of the picture. Charging at home draws on the household electricity supply, and the cost and carbon of that supply depend on the tariff and any smart charging equipment installed. The SMMT's call to cut VAT at public chargepoints to match home charging points to the gap between households that can charge off-street and those that cannot1. Households without a driveway rely on the public network, whose rollout the SMMT describes as needing to accelerate ahead of demand1. The UK electric vehicle registration statistics page tracks how registrations develop against that infrastructure.
What happens next
The SMMT states that the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate is due to set targets on vehicle sales, and that it wants binding targets on chargepoint rollout set in line with them1. It also sets out a 2035 end date for the sale of all non-zero emission vehicles weighing less than 26 tonnes1. No dates for the mandate, for chargepoint targets or for any change to Vehicle Excise Duty or chargepoint VAT have been reported in this announcement.