EVs up 67% as used car market sees strong Q2 growth

The used car market in the UK has seen a 0.7% growth in Q2 of 2026, with 2,009,318 vehicles changing hands according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 

This marks the first Q2 since 2021 in which more than two million used vehicles were sold. To date, the total number of used vehicles in Q1 and Q2 of 2026 is 4,025,550. The top three most popular used vehicles were the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa, and Volkswagen Golf.

Sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) grew by a notable 67% in Q2 to 110,761 units. This is represented by the wider choice of vehicles available on the market, coinciding with the influx of more affordable new models in recent years.

Hybrid electric vehicles also rose by 31.2% to 130,825 units in Q2, but plug-in hybrids saw a decline by 6.8% to 22,856 units sold.

Petrol and diesel vehicles still remain hugely popular choices in the used car market with 1,121,243 (-1.2%) and 620,045 (-7.2%) units sold, respectively. 

For fleets, these figures are representing current preferences in the used car marketplace. Despite the declines, pure petrol and diesel vehicles are still the strongest sellers on the second-hand market. With the introduction of more electrified vehicles, used demand is likely to see growth as buyers take advantage of the wider choice of models available which have already experienced a degree of depreciation.

Click here to see the latest figures on new car registrations

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