Electric vehicle sales have climbed to their highest point in seven years, driven by a substantial increase in demand. However, these figures still fall short of government targets for electric car adoption.
In June, 213,166 new cars were registered, an 11.4 percent increase compared to the same month last year, marking the best June performance since 2019, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Pure battery electric cars accounted for 30 percent of these sales, up from 24.8 percent a year prior. The SMMT described the growth in electric vehicle (EV) sales as "significant."
Despite the surge, the SMMT noted that these sales are not meeting the government's Zero-Emission Vehicle mandate, which requires 33 percent of each manufacturer's sales to be fully electric this year, escalating to 80 percent by 2030. SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes expressed concerns that "no one in the industry thinks it can be done" and called for an "immediate review" of the mandate.
"June’s performance is very strong, showing EV uptake is growing, with battery electric cars reaching their highest market share this year and more than half of buyers choosing electrified models," Hawes stated. "But even these record levels are still not enough to meet mandated targets. Manufacturers are investing billions developing and bringing the vehicles to market – and spending billions more to sell them – yet the market is still not moving fast enough."
Factors contributing to the increased sales include rising fuel prices, potentially influenced by geopolitical events, and an expanding selection of new electric models. The recent sales figures were also bolstered by a large delivery of Tesla vehicles, with 12,200 units supplied to customers, representing approximately one-fifth of all EV registrations in June.
Over the first half of the year, pure battery-powered cars constituted a record 25 percent of the market, falling short of the 33 percent target. To achieve the yearly goal, electric vehicle sales would need to exceed 40 percent of the total market for the remainder of the year. An SMMT spokesperson commented, "Despite more choice, uptake is still not rising fast enough."