Industry leaders and EV advocates have responded to this morning’s SMMT data showing battery electric vehicles accounted for 27% of all new UK car registrations in May, one of the strongest months on record outside the traditional December peak.
Gurjeet Grewal, CEO, Octopus Electric Vehicles, said: “Month after month, the UK is proving that the ZEV mandate isn’t a stretch target – it’s a reality. Driven by growing consumer demand, the conversation has moved from ‘can we get there?’ to ‘how much further can we go?’”
Tanya Sinclair, CEO, Electric Vehicles UK, said: “Why are we told that the public isn’t ready, and the demand isn’t there? 27% says otherwise. This is the mainstream choosing electric on its own terms, because it’s cheaper to run and better to own. Instead of scare-mongering about readiness, let’s all ensure supply, charging and policy keep pace with a market that’s going electric at pace.”
Ben Nelmes, CEO, New AutoMotive, said: “The missing piece of the puzzle for the UK’s EV transition is finally in place. Carmakers have invested billions to bring a wide range of accessible electric models to market. Now we see decisive evidence that consumer demand is surging as motorists, spurred on by global events and rising fuel prices, are opting for electric cars. Electric cars offer Britain a critical opportunity to improve energy security, strengthen our economy and build resilience in an increasingly unstable world.”
Ginny Buckley, CEO, Electrifying.com, said: “The latest figures should finally put to bed the old chestnut that drivers don’t want electric cars. Car buyers aren’t choosing EVs to make a statement — it’s because they’re cheaper to run, enjoyable to drive and less exposed to the volatile global oil prices that can send fuel costs soaring overnight. It’s time to stop talking about electric cars as an ‘alternative’, because these numbers put EVs firmly in the mainstream of the UK car market.”
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