UK New Car Sales Surge 7.1% in May

2026-06-04 08:30 By Joana Ferreira 1 min. read

UK new car sales climbed 7.1% year-over-year to 160,662 units in May 2026, the strongest May performance since 2019, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Private buyer demand led the growth, with registrations jumping 17.2% as consumers took advantage of competitive offers from a record range of brands and a 6.4% increase in model choices, including a 25.6% rise in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales year-to-date.

Fleet demand grew modestly by 1.8%, accounting for 57.1% of all registrations, while the smaller business sector declined by 18.8%, though the volume drop was marginal (720 units).

Consumer demand continued to shift toward new technologies, with petrol and diesel car registrations falling by 7.1% and 2.2%, respectively.

Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) uptake rose 1.8%, plug-in hybrid deliveries surged 23.9% to capture a 13.8% market share, and BEV registrations increased 34.2%, reaching a 27.3% market share, the highest recorded in 2026 so far.



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UK New Car Sales Surge 7.1% in May
UK new car sales climbed 7.1% year-over-year to 160,662 units in May 2026, the strongest May performance since 2019, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Private buyer demand led the growth, with registrations jumping 17.2% as consumers took advantage of competitive offers from a record range of brands and a 6.4% increase in model choices, including a 25.6% rise in battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales year-to-date. Fleet demand grew modestly by 1.8%, accounting for 57.1% of all registrations, while the smaller business sector declined by 18.8%, though the volume drop was marginal (720 units). Consumer demand continued to shift toward new technologies, with petrol and diesel car registrations falling by 7.1% and 2.2%, respectively. Hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) uptake rose 1.8%, plug-in hybrid deliveries surged 23.9% to capture a 13.8% market share, and BEV registrations increased 34.2%, reaching a 27.3% market share, the highest recorded in 2026 so far.
2026-06-04
UK Cars Sales Rise The Most Since 2019
UK new car sales rose by 24% year-over-year in April 2026, reaching 149,247 registrations, reflecting a rebound from a weak April 2025, when buyers advanced purchases to avoid tax hikes, including VED and the Expensive Car Supplement on BEVs. While April is typically a low-volume month, this was the strongest performance since 2019, with growth across all sectors: fleets (+26.8%), private retail (+20.2%), and business (+15.0%). Petrol car demand grew 8.2%, while diesel registrations dipped 1%. Electrified vehicles accounted for over half (53.2%) of the market for the second consecutive month. PHEV registrations surged 46.4% (13.8% market share), and HEVs rose 18.8% (13.2% share). BEV sales jumped 59.1% to 39,084 units, pushing total registrations since 2002 past two million. BEVs took a 26.2% market share for the month and 23.1% year-to-date, still below the 33% Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate target, despite manufacturer discounts and the Electric Car Grant.
2026-05-05
UK New Car Registrations Climb to 2019 High
New car registrations in the UK rose 6.6% yoy to 380,627 in March 2026, typically the biggest market month of the year, following a 7.2% gain in February, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. It marks the best March and best month overall since 2019, driven primarily by private demand, with retail registrations rising 10.1% to 162,470 units. Fleet registrations increased 3.5% to 208,853 units, while the smaller business sector grew 18.8% to 9,304 units. March was also the best month on record for EV volumes (196,059 registrations), underlining the impact of manufacturers’ investment in road transport decarbonisation. Battery electric vehicles volumes went up 24.2% to reach record high, but market share was just 22.6%, when mandated target for the year is 33%. At the start of 2026, battery costs were more than 30% higher than expected and industrial energy prices around 80% above 2021 levels, while public charging can cost over 140% more than five years ago.
2026-04-07