Registrations of new cars in the UK rose 1.6% in May 2025 to 150,070 units, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reported on 5 June 2025. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) accounted for 21.8% of that total, with registrations up 25.8% year on year to 32,738 units1.
The overall market growth was carried by fleets and businesses, up 3.7% and 14.4% respectively, which together accounted for 62.6% of registrations. Private buyer interest fell for the second consecutive month, down 2.3% to 56,131 units. Petrol registrations fell 12.5% and diesel 15.5%1.
Plug-in hybrids rose 50.8% to 17,898 units and hybrids 6.8% to 20,351 units. Combined, electrified models took 47.3% of the market in May1.
| Powertrain | May 2025 units | Year-on-year change | May market share | Year-to-date share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEV | 32,738 | +25.8% | 21.8% | 20.9% |
| PHEV | 17,898 | +50.8% | 11.9% | 10.1% |
| HEV | 20,351 | +6.8% | 13.6% | 14.4% |
| Petrol | 71,291 | -12.5% | 47.5% | 49.0% |
| Diesel | 7,792 | -15.5% | 5.2% | 5.6% |
Source: SMMT1
Year to date, BEV registrations stand at 177,487 units, up 33.4% on the same period in 2024, but at 20.9% market share they remain seven percentage points below the 28% mandated by regulation. The SMMT said significant discounting is still ongoing despite new model introductions and increasingly affordable offerings, and described the current market situation as unsustainable for a sector already facing multiple cost pressures1.
The SMMT called for VAT cuts on EV purchases and home charging, and for reform of vehicle excise duty. It said halving VAT on new EV purchases would put 267,000 additional new EVs on the road over three years and cut CO2 emissions by six million tonnes a year, and that removing EVs from the VED Expensive Car Supplement and equalising VAT paid on public charging to that levied at home would signal that now is the time to switch1.
"A return to growth for new car registrations in May is welcome but manufacturer discounting on new products continues to underpin the market, notably for electric vehicles. This cannot be sustained indefinitely as it undermines the ability of companies to invest in new product development."
The SMMT said buyers can now choose from more than 135 BEVs, up from 106 a year earlier, alongside just over 100 PHEVs and nearly 50 HEVs. It put the average BEV range at almost 300 miles on a single charge, and the average PHEV electric-only range at just under 50 miles, with some PHEVs offering as much as 88 miles1.
Why it matters for households
The figures describe what is being bought rather than what is being charged at home. A rising BEV share means a growing number of households are taking on a car whose running costs depend heavily on where it is charged, and the SMMT's call to equalise VAT between public charging and home charging points to a gap that affects drivers without off-street parking in particular. Households without a driveway cannot use a home chargepoint, and the grant position for renters and flat owners is separate from the purchase incentives the SMMT is seeking. The UK electric vehicle registration statistics page tracks these monthly shares, and the EV charging hub covers the charging side, including the Electric Vehicle Chargepoint Grant for renters and flat owners, the closed Electric Vehicle Homecharge Scheme, the Smart Charge Points Regulations 2021 and vehicle-to-grid and vehicle-to-home charging. Charging device numbers sit in the EV and charging infrastructure statistics.
What happens next
The SMMT said the Spending Review the following week was an opportunity for government to drive demand through fiscal measures. It has not been reported whether the measures it called for were subsequently adopted.