UK New Car Registrations Rise for 9th Month

New car registrations in the UK rose 12.1% from the previous year to 350,518 units in September of 2026, its highest level since March although slowing from a 13.7% rise in the earlier month, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). It was a tenth consecutive period of growth, extending the market's recovery toward pre-pandemic levels. Battery electric vehicles rose by 36.3% to a record of 99,199 units to reach 28.3% of market share, as buyers respond to greater model choice, manufacturer incentives and government grants. Plug-in hybrid vehicle registrations also climbed 55.7% to 59,563 units. These were enough to offset the 2.5% decline in petrol vehicles to 141,287 and a 4.2% drop in hybrid electric vehicles to 45,838.

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.