London, United Kingdom. British new car sales rose 11.4% in June from a year earlier to their strongest level since 2019, while battery electric vehicles reached a record share of the market, according to industry data published on Monday.
June sales and electric vehicle share
New car registrations increased to 213,166 vehicles last month, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said. Battery electric vehicles accounted for 30% of sales, matching data published by New Automotive on Friday.
Factors supporting EV demand
EV sales have been supported by higher fuel prices following the Iran war, a wider choice of lower-cost models, government grants and manufacturer discounts. Despite this, growth remains below the pace needed to meet the government’s targets on the path to net zero.
Industry pressure and compliance costs
Carmakers are rushing to meet Britain’s annual electric vehicle targets but have warned that the effort is leading to heavy discounting and compliance costs. Tougher EU trade rules due from 2027 are also adding pressure.
The SMMT said in a statement that the cost of compliance was making the UK less competitive as a market for selling and producing cars, putting investment at risk as other markets with less restrictive regulation become more attractive.
Year-to-date figures and target gap
Sales of battery electric vehicles stood at 25% for the year to date, compared with the government’s annual target of 33%. The SMMT said that to meet that target, BEVs would need to account for more than 40% of new registrations in the rest of 2026.
Different industry data sets
New Automotive said on Friday that new car sales rose about 15% year on year, reflecting different data sources and calculation methods used by the two industry bodies.