The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) published analysis on 23 May 2024 showing that 102 battery electric vehicle (BEV) models are now available in the UK, up from 16 in 2014. The figures come from UK new car registration data for January to April of each year, and were released alongside the SMMT's 44th annual Test Day1.
The SMMT's comparison covers the same total number of models in both periods, with only the zero emission share changing:
| Period | Models | BEV models | BEV share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan-Apr 2014 | 348 | 16 | 4.6% |
| Jan-Apr 2024 | 348 | 102 | 29.3% |
The body said the average BEV range is now 236 miles, rising to nearer 300 miles for models launching this year, and that some variants already on sale have maximum battery ranges in excess of 450 miles. It put average car mileage at 6,600 miles a year, or 127 miles a week, based on MOT data for 20221. For drivers able to charge at home, the SMMT cited a running cost of as little as 8p per mile1.
On demand, the SMMT said zero emission cars on UK roads reached a record 960,896 in 2023, and that new BEV demand is up 10.6% so far in 2024, with more than 100,000 motorists making the switch. It described the market as having "plateaued" this year, with more than eight in 10 car buyers still choosing other powertrains, mostly petrol or hybrid1.
The SMMT used the release to press for tax changes: temporarily halving VAT on new BEV purchases, cutting VAT on public charging from 20% to 5% to match domestic use, and altering the threshold for the Vehicle Excise Duty "expensive car" supplement, due to apply to EVs from April 2025 for models with a list price of £40,000, which it said would likely capture more than half of the BEV market1. On infrastructure, it said there is currently just one standard charger for every 35 plug-in cars on the road, a negligible improvement on 2022, when the ratio was one for every 361.
"The industry can only do so much on its own, however, and if we are to make EVs open to all and drive the net zero transformation we all need, further support is required."
The analysis also counted more than 25 models of electric van, 14 models of zero emission buses including hydrogen, and some 20 models of electric truck available in Britain1.
Why it matters for households
Model choice and range figures bear directly on whether a household can run an electric car as its only vehicle. The SMMT's own comparison sets the average BEV range of 236 miles against average weekly driving of 127 miles, and notes that home charging is where the lowest running costs arise1. Households without off-street parking cannot access domestic electricity rates for charging, and the SMMT's call to cut public charging VAT from 20% to 5% is aimed at that gap1. The difference between home and public charging VAT is therefore central to running costs, and the chargepoint grant for renters and flat owners is the existing support route for households without a private driveway. The charger-to-car ratio of one standard charger per 35 plug-in cars1 is the measure of how far public provision has moved; the site's electric vehicle charging device statistics page tracks that rollout, and UK electric vehicle registration statistics tracks take-up. For homes with solar or a battery, charging from stored generation changes the arithmetic further, as set out in EV charging alongside a home battery.
What happens next
The Vehicle Excise Duty "expensive car" supplement is due to apply to EVs from April 2025 for models with a list price of £40,0001. The SMMT's proposed VAT changes and threshold alteration are calls on government, not announced policy; no decision on them has been reported1.