UK car sales exceed 2 million amid EV growth
- Last updated: January 6, 2026 | 14:19 ..
Picture used for illustrative purposes.
New car sales in Britain exceeded two million units in 2025 for the first time since the pandemic, driven largely by rising demand for electric vehicles (EVs).
A total of 2.02 million new cars were registered in Britain in 2025, up 3.5 percent from 2024, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Although sales remained below the pre-pandemic level of 2.31 million recorded in 2019, the figure marked a return to the industry’s long-term annual average.
EVs accounted for around 23 per cent of total registrations in 2025, with fully electric car sales rising by nearly a quarter year-on-year to a record level.
WAM