Carmakers sold a record number of electric cars in the UK last year, prompting environmental groups to urge the government to stick to tougher green targets even as the industry argues they are unsustainable.
The number of new cars sold in the UK rose by 2.6% in 2024 to 1.95m, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) lobby group. Of those, 19.6% were electric, up from 16.5% a year earlier.
The figures also confirmed the SUV’s rise to dominance in Britain. The “dual purpose” vehicle class, which contains many of the models marketed as sports utility vehicles, outsold other types of car such as the supermini for the first time. SUV sales were helped by the shift to electric, as bulkier cars have more space for a battery.
Electric vehicle (EV) sales have surged over recent years in Britain because of rules forcing manufacturers to sell more every year in an effort to cut the carbon dioxide emissions of transport, which accounted for 28% of all domestic UK carbon pollution in 2022.
