EVs now account for more than a quarter of new UK car registrations

A side angle showing a row of colourful cars.

Fresh Department for Transport data shows zero-emission vehicles continuing to gain ground across both cars and vans.

During the second quarter of 2026, zero-emission cars accounted for 27.3% of all new car registrations, up from 22.2% a year earlier. Zero-emission light commercial vehicles reached 10.5%, up from 8.5%.

There were also more than 2.3 million licensed zero-emission vehicles on UK roads by the end of June, a 30.7% year-on-year increase.

For fleet managers, the significance is momentum.

Vehicle availability, leasing support, aftersales capability and charging infrastructure are all developing around a larger EV parc than even a year ago.

Fleets that last reviewed EV suitability 12 months ago should revisit the market rather than relying on old assumptions around choice, range or cost.

The van figures are especially important: double-digit zero-emission penetration shows eLCVs are moving beyond early-adopter territory.

Fleet strategies should now reflect the market that exists today, not the one that existed at the start of the replacement cycle.

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