Electrified Car Market Statistics
The last four years have seen a remarkable surge in request for electrical vehicles in the UK – fresh registrations of plug-in cars enhanced from Trio,500 in two thousand thirteen to more than 107,000 by the end of July 2017. There has also been a enormous increase in the number of pure-electric and plug-in hybrid models available in the UK with many of the top manufacturers in the UK now suggesting an EV as part of their model range.
The following sections present UK sales of electrified cars and vans since 2010, and the total number of EVs registered in the UK. Also charted are the number of models presently available as well as the number of publicly available charging points according to the Zap-Map database.
Note: The terms ‘electrical cars’ and electrified vehicles’ on this page refers to cars and vans that are zero-emission capable by running on electrified power only for a reasonable range. This includes pure-electric vehicles (EVs), plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs). With the exception of the little number of FCEVs on the road, this essentially comprises any vehicle that is able to be recharged via a ass-plug, and excludes conventional hybrids.
Third party use: this data can be used by third parties as long as the Next Green Car logo is displayed, the source is attributed to Next Green Car and if online, a link is added back to www.nextgreencar.com
UK EV sales
Figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) each month demonstrate that electrical car sales in the UK have risen dramatically over the past few years. While only around five hundred electrified cars were registered per month during the very first half of 2014, this has now risen to an average of more than Three,400 per month over the past twelve months. By the end of 2016, more than 35,000 plug-in cars had been registered over the course of the year, the highest number ever. The very first seven months of two thousand seventeen have seen almost 26,000 cars registered, ahead of the same period in two thousand sixteen by a little under 20%. As a percentage of fresh car registrations, electrical cars now represent around 1.7 per cent of the total fresh car market in the UK. That figure for the very first seven months of two thousand seventeen sits at 1.6 per cent.
Source: Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, August 2017.
The cumulative figure also shows sustained and dramatic growth of the EV car and van market. According to the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and SMMT, around 100,000 claims have been made through the Plug-in Car and Van Grant schemes.
Taken together with the fact that a significant number of electrical cars and vans which are not eligible for the grant schemes have also been registered, the total UK light-duty electrical fleet is more than 108,000 electrified vehicles strong.
Source: SMMT, OLEV, DfT Statistics; Analysis: Next Green Car, July 2017.
Most popular EV models in the UK
As of the end of March 2017, the latest figures available from the Department for Transport showcase that Mitsubishi’s Outlander PHEV is the most popular plug-in vehicle by some margin. With more than 27,500 units sold it has been the best-selling plug-in car for more than two years now, and is clearly ahead of the 2nd most popular plug-in car, the Nissan Leaf. More than 16,500 Leafs have been sold in the UK tho’, cosily ahead of the Mercedes Benz C 350e which rapidly climbed into third place, and putting the Nissan in very first position in terms of pure-electric vehicles.
More than 6,000 Mercedes Benz C 350e sales in the space of eighteen months have seen the PHEV rack up almost 7,000 units, and shoved the BMW i3 down to fourth place in the best-sellers table. The i3 is ahead of the fifth-placed Renault Zoe, which is has more than Five,200 total sales by the end of Q1 2017.
Plug-in hybrids have rapidly taken the majority share of the electrified car market – presently sitting at 64%. From accounting for less than a third of plug-in sales at the beginning of 2014, Two years later they represent almost two thirds the overall number of plug-in cars sold by the end of Q1 2017.
Source: DfT Vehicle Licensing Statistics. Analysis Next Green Car, July 2017.
A key indicator as to the strength of the UK market for electrical vehicles is the number of segments covered by the electrified models presently available. While the main nine electrified cars available in two thousand eleven covered four bod styles – city cars, puny family cars, puny vans and sports coupés – the fifty five plug-in cars and vans available in two thousand seventeen now include superminis, large family cars, hatchbacks, estates, SUVs, executive models, and medium-sized vans.
Previous practice of introducing fresh technologies into the automotive market shows that having a broad range of both models and bod styles is key to ensuring strong uptake of fresh power-trains. With the large number of brands and classes now available, the EV market has a strong base on which to proceed to grow.
UK EV charging points stats
As a result of sustained government and private investment, the UK network of EV charging points has enlargened from a few hundred in two thousand eleven to more than Four,200 charging locations, 6,500 charging devices and 11,750 connectors by October 2016. The proportion of charger types has also switched dramatically during that time with an increase in high power (rapid) units being installed across the UK.
There are three main EV charger types: ‘slow’ charging units (up to 3kW) which are best suited for 6-8 hours overnight; ‘prompt’ chargers (7-22kW) which can fully recharge some models in 3-4 hours; and ‘rapid’ charging units (43-50kW) which are able to provide an 80% charge in around thirty minutes. Rapid chargers also come in two charge point types – AC and DC – depending on whether they use alternating current or direct current.