Number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold in United Kingdom

United Kingdom: Number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold was 230,000 cars in 2025. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2025)
230,000 cars
Change on year
up 35.3%
World rank
4th
of 54 countries
All-time high
230,000 cars
in 2025
All-time low
7 cars
in 2011
Years of data
16
2010–2025

Number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold in United Kingdom, 2010–2025

050.0k100.0k150.0k200.0k250.0k2010201720252010: 21 cars2011: 7 cars2012: 970 cars2013: 1.1k cars2014: 7.8k cars2015: 19.0k cars2016: 29.0k cars2017: 35.0k cars2018: 46.0k cars2019: 37.0k cars2020: 68.0k cars2021: 120.0k cars2022: 100.0k cars2023: 140.0k cars2024: 170.0k cars2025: 230.0k cars

Source: International Energy Agency. Global EV Outlook 2025. – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in cars.

Analysis

United Kingdom recorded 230,000 cars for number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold in 2025. That is the highest value across all 16 years on record.

That represents a change of up 35.3% on the previous year and up 1,110.5% over ten years.

Over the whole period, number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold in United Kingdom peaked at 230,000 cars in 2025 and was at its lowest, 7 cars, in 2011.

United Kingdom ranks 4th of 54 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold in United Kingdom, year by year

Annual values for Number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold in United Kingdom, 2010 to 2025.
Year cars Change
2010 21 cars —
2011 7 cars -66.7%
2012 970 cars +13757.1%
2013 1,100 cars +13.4%
2014 7,800 cars +609.1%
2015 19,000 cars +143.6%
2016 29,000 cars +52.6%
2017 35,000 cars +20.7%
2018 46,000 cars +31.4%
2019 37,000 cars -19.6%
2020 68,000 cars +83.8%
2021 120,000 cars +76.5%
2022 100,000 cars -16.7%
2023 140,000 cars +40.0%
2024 170,000 cars +21.4%
2025 230,000 cars +35.3%

United Kingdom compared with similar countries

  • United Kingdom's 230,000 cars is above the median for high income countries, which is 15,000 cars, 15.3× the median. (41 countries reporting)
  • United Kingdom's 230,000 cars is above the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 15,000 cars, 15.3× the median. (31 countries reporting)

Biggest year-on-year movements

Years where Number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold in United Kingdom changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.

YearChange FromTo
2012 +13757.1% 7 cars 970 cars
2014 +609.1% 1,100 cars 7,800 cars

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
2010s 17,590 cars 7 cars 46,000 cars 10
2020s 138,000 cars 68,000 cars 230,000 cars 6

Countries ranked near United Kingdom

  1. 1 China 5.10 million cars compare
  2. 2 United States 330,000 cars compare
  3. 3 Germany 310,000 cars compare
  4. 5 Spain 120,000 cars compare
  5. 6 France 110,000 cars compare
  6. 7 Brazil 99,000 cars compare

See the full ranking of 54 places →

More reference data data for United Kingdom

All data for United Kingdom →

Frequently asked questions

What is number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold in United Kingdom?
Number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold in United Kingdom was 230,000 cars in 2025, according to International Energy Agency. Global EV Outlook 2025. – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold recorded in United Kingdom?
The highest recorded value was 230,000 cars in 2025.
What is the lowest number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold recorded in United Kingdom?
The lowest recorded value was 7 cars in 2011.
How does United Kingdom rank for number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold?
United Kingdom ranks 4th out of 54 countries with data for 2025.
Is number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold rising or falling in United Kingdom?
Over the last ten years it is up 1,110.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
The figures come from International Energy Agency. Global EV Outlook 2025. – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold in United Kingdom. Statizoid, drawing on International Energy Agency. Global EV Outlook 2025. – processed by Our World in Data. Retrieved 25 September 2026, from https://reference.statizoid.com/stat/number-bev-phev-sold/united-kingdom/

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About this data

Indicator
Number of fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid cars sold
Unit
cars
Source
International Energy Agency. Global EV Outlook 2025. – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
54 places, 638 data points, 2010–2025
Last refreshed

New fully battery-electric and plug-in hybrid sales each year.