- As the UK ZEV rises from 22% in 2024 to 28% by the end of 2025 for manufacturers, the country’s sales figures for January are in – and while figures look promising for meeting the target, it signifies the importance of not letting off the EV marketing and communications pedal just yet, with growth necessary in the coming months.
- The monthly figures, provided by New AutoMotive, show that Across January, approximately 27,693 fully-electric cars were sold – accounting for 21% of the market share in the month.
- While that figure is down on December 2024’s 31% electric car market share, it’s a marked improvement over January 2024 – when EV market share stood at 15%.
Will the UK hit 28% EV market share by the end of 2025?

Breaking down January EV sales by manufacturer, the top three manufacturers within the segment were BMW, Volkswagen, and Mercedes-Benz – with EV market share of 9%, 7%, and 7% respectively. Notably, Tesla has lost EV market share compared to January 2024 – no longer occupying the top three, and dropping from 8% to 5%, behind or equal to manufacturers such as Audi, Kia, and Peugeot’s EV portfolios. With Tesla sales also dropping in neighbouring France, as reported by Bloomberg, these figures will be one to watch in the coming months.
While the 21% electric car market share for January shows that work still needs to be done to hit that 28% target, there is still a positive picture painted. Broken down by manufacturer, OEMs such as Stellantis already managed to exceed the requirements set last year. And, while Norway is close to hitting 100% EV market share, the UK still exists as the biggest EV market in Europe, by volume – making it a key target for manufacturers to sell into.
Recent reports that the UK government is considering the reintroduction of EV purchase subsidies, specifically on the loan side, could also further encourage these figures up to the 28% mark by the end of 2025. With the government currently consulting on bringing forward the ban on new pure petrol and diesel cars from 2035 to 2030, ensuring EV sales continue to grow will be crucial.