UK New Car Registrations Rise for 9th Month

New car registrations in the UK rose 13.7% from the previous year to 94,236 units in August of 2026, picking up from the 11.7% rise in the earlier month, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). It was a ninth consecutive period of growth, extending the market's recovery toward pre-pandemic levels. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles registrations soared by 39.8% to 13,707, and battery electric vehicles rose by 27.7% to 28,063. In turn, hybrid electric vehicles rose by 26.3% to 11,940. These were enough to offset the 2.5% decline in petrol vehicles, which totaled 36,048.

UK new car registrations rose 11.7% year-on-year to 156,571 units in July 2026, the strongest July since 2019, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The increase marked an eighth consecutive month of growth, extending the market's recovery toward pre-pandemic levels. Demand increased across all buyer segments, with private registrations up 12.6%, fleet sales rising 9.5% to account for 59.9% of the market, and the lower-volume business registrations surging 61.3%. Electrified vehicles continued to drive growth. Battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations jumped 44.5% to a record July level, lifting their market share to 27.5%, while plug-in hybrid and hybrid registrations increased 33.6% and 11.6%, respectively, accounting for 14.9% and 13.2% of the market. The SMMT now expects BEVs to make up 27.4% of total registrations this year, still below the UK's 33% zero-emission vehicle mandate target.

UK new car sales surged by 11.4% year-on-year to 213,166 units in June 2026, the best performance for the month since 2019, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Growth was broad-based across all customer segments. Registrations by private buyers increased by 12.5%, fleet deliveries rose 10.5%, and the smaller business segment recorded the strongest gain at 17.1%. Fleet customers remained the dominant source of demand, representing 59.5% of all new car registrations. The ongoing shift toward electrification continued to support the market, underpinned by manufacturers' investment in a broader portfolio of low- and zero-emission models and the expansion of brands operating in the UK. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) gained further momentum, increasing their market share to 30.0%, the highest so far this year, reflecting seasonal quarter-end volumes and stronger demand amid higher fuel prices. PHEVs took 12.5% of the market, while HEVs accounted for 14.0%.