Record number of electric cars were sold in UK during 2024

Oxford: Last year was a big one for electric cars in the UK. Sales hit a record high, with 19.6% of new cars being electric. That’s up from 16.5% the year before. Pretty impressive, right?

The overall car sales in the UK rose by 2.6% to 1.95 million. SUVs are really taking over, too. They outsold other types of cars for the first time, thanks to their extra space for batteries.

Electric vehicle sales have been climbing because of new rules pushing manufacturers to sell more each year. This is all part of the effort to cut down on carbon emissions from transport, which is a big deal since it made up 28% of the UK’s carbon pollution in 2022.

The UK is now one of the leaders in electric car adoption, though it still trails behind Norway and China. But, sales haven’t quite met expectations. Some folks are still worried about the higher costs and finding charging stations.

The government is thinking about easing up on sales targets for 2025 to avoid hefty fines for carmakers. They’re looking to change the rules soon, and the consultation wraps up in mid-February.

Manufacturers were told to aim for 22% of sales to be electric this year, rising to 28% next year. But they can dodge penalties if they sell more electric cars later or cut overall emissions. Some estimates suggest the real target might be as low as 18%.

Still, the SMMT’s chief, Mike Hawes, mentioned there’s been a “shortfall” in electric car sales. Some carmakers might have to buy credits from others to avoid fines. He pointed out that manufacturers are having to offer steep discounts to boost electric car sales, which isn’t a sustainable situation.

Hawes said, “The mandate doesn’t move markets.” He believes the targets are pushing supply but not really driving demand.

On the flip side, environmental groups are urging the government not to back off on the rules. Paul Morozzo from Greenpeace UK said the record sales are a good sign that the UK is moving in the right direction. He thinks the focus should be on making public chargers more accessible and offering better tax incentives for electric cars.

The best-selling cars last year were the Ford Puma and Kia Sportage, both SUVs. The top electric car was the Tesla Model Y, which also topped the sales charts in December as Tesla rushed to sell more before the year ended.

Petrol cars now make up only 52.2% of sales, while diesel sales have plummeted from 31% in 2018 to just 6.3% in 2024. Hybrid sales are also on the rise alongside electric cars.

Ben Nelmes from New AutoMotive said the UK’s transition to electric vehicles is speeding up, with nearly one in three cars sold in December being electric.

He added, “Electric car sales have skyrocketed in 2024, and December’s numbers were well above the targets. With more affordable electric models coming out, this trend is only going to grow, making it easier for drivers and helping us reach net zero.”