- The number of fully-electric vehicles registered on UK roads is at all all time high, after 2024 data gathered by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) indicated that approximately 1,334,246 fully-electric vehicles were registered in the country as of the end of 2024.
- EVs now account for around 3.7% of all vehicles (new and existing) in use on the UK’s roads, up from 2.7% in 2023 – and that figure is poised to rise significantly in the run up to 2030.
- The increasing number highlights the need for reliable levels of public charging infrastructure, as demand for such infrastructure continues to grow.
EVs become increasingly common on UK roads
Compared to EVs, during 2024, the number of petrol cars on the road remained rose by around 1% – up to a total of 21 million cars. The total number of diesel cars on the road, however, saw a continued decline, with the number on the roads down 4.4% in one year, to 11.6 million. A recent forecast from Auto Trader suggested that by the end of this year, however, we could see the total number of petrol cars on the year also start to decline, as EVs take their place.
The significant increase in the number of EVs within the UK’s car parc is unsurprising if recent sales figures are anything to go by. 2024 saw the UK to be the largest EV market in Europe (by volume), with 381,970 fully-electric vehicles registered in the period. 2025 is likely to be another record year for EV sales and increasing the proportion of EVs within the total car parc, after March 2025 became the best month on record for EV sales.
Mike Hawes, Chief Executive at the SMMT, commented:
“Britain’s vehicle parc is growing, providing essential mobility for the nation while reducing its environmental impact. However, there is scope to push environmental improvements much faster as motorists are holding onto their cars for longer, some one and half years longer on average, than only five years ago. Drivers need more incentives and greater confidence in infrastructure investment if we are to replace the high volumes of older high-emission cars with zero-emission alternatives. Success will keep the country on the move while driving up economic growth from every business dependent on road transport.”
