Analysis from webuyanycar, the UK’s go-to online car-buying service, reveals a surge in sales of used and new electric and hybrid vehicles, while the market share of petrol and diesel vehicles dropped.
Used electric car sales Q3 2025
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10.5% of used car sales in Q3 2025 were electrified, up from 9.7% in Q2
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Used BEV (battery electric vehicle) sales grew by 44.4%, faster than any other powertrain, with 80,614 transactions, securing a 4.0% market share.
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HEV (hybrid electric vehicle) sales grew by 30.0% with 107,727 transactions, achieving a market share of 5.3%.
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PHEV (plug-in hybrid electric vehicle) sales increased 2.0% to 23,480 transactions, reaching a 1.2% market share.
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The overall used car market rose by 2.8% from Q2, reaching 2,021,265 units – the best Q3 performance since 2021 and the 11th consecutive quarter of growth.
webuyanycar’s head of technical services, Richard Evans, said, “The shift towards an electrified road network is continuing at pace, with EVs and plug-in hybrids showing strong growth while petrol and diesel registrations continue to decline.”
“This trend underscores the market’s rapid transition toward low- and zero-emission motoring, with nearly new electric vehicles playing an increasingly important role in meeting consumer demand.”
“With 135+ new EVs to choose from – and attractive electric car grants and manufacturer discounts now available with many models, there’s plenty to entice more drivers to make the switch over the coming months.”
EV market share grown over time
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In 2016, BEVs accounted for just 1.4% of all new vehicle registrations.
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In 2024, BEVs secured a record 19.6% market share, and PHEVs made up a further 8.6% of registrations, bringing the total market share for plug-in vehicles to 28.2%.
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The number of annual BEV registrations grew over 10x from 36,907 in 2016 to 381,970 in 2024.
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The SMMT’s October 2025 forecast predicts 574,000 BEV registrations in 2026 – an increase of over 14x from 2016!
The SMMT’s outlook was made during a subdued economic period but follows recent growth in the new car market. It was finalised before the Budget on 26 November 2025, which may include further tax changes.
Richard Evans added, “The latest SMMT outlook shows BEVs are on track to account for almost a third of new car sales by 2027, underlining the rapid momentum of electrification in the UK.
“HEVs and PHEVs are also expected to grow steadily, while petrol and diesel market share continues to shrink. With traditionally fuelled vehicles projected to fall below 35% by 2027, the coming years will be pivotal for the transition to electrified motoring.
“Expanding the charging network, combined with Government and manufacturer incentives, will be essential to supporting this shift and encouraging more drivers to embrace EVs.”
Year-to-date analysis: Jan-Oct 2024 and 2025
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Between January and October 2025, registrations for BEVs and PHEVs grew by 28.9% and 37.1% YoY, respectively.
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Market share for BEVs increased to 22.4% (up 4.3% YoY), while PHEV market share rose to 11.0% (up 2.6% YoY).
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HEVs also recorded growth, with registrations up 8.0% YoY and market share growing to 14.0% (a 0.5% increase).
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In contrast, petrol registrations fell by 8.5% YoY, with market share dropping to 47.2% (down 6.4% YoY).
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Diesel saw a sharper decline, with registrations down 15.1% YoY and market share falling to 5.3% (down 1.1% YoY).
Discounts for EV buyers through the Electric Car Grant
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The UK Government’s Electric Car Grant scheme was introduced in July 2025 to make EVs more affordable and encourage widespread adoption.
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The £650 million scheme offers discounts of up to £3,750 on selected new electric cars priced at £37,000 (with some variants of eligible models priced up to £42,000 also qualifying).
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As of November 2025, there are over 40 eligible models, although only three qualify for the maximum grant: the Citroen e-C5 Aircross, Ford Puma Gen-E, and Ford E-Tourneo Courier).
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This scheme replaces the original Plug-in Car Grant (PICG), which ran from January 2011 to June 2022, and offered discounts to private and fleet EV buyers.
EV drivers could face ‘pay-per-mile tax’ from 2028
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The 2025 UK Budget, which will be announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves on 26 November, is expected to introduce a pay-per-mile tax for electric vehicles to replace lost fuel duty revenue.
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The scheme will be subject to consultation and, if implemented, is not expected to start before 2028.
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The proposed rate (referred to as ‘VED+’) is around 3p per mile, which would add roughly £250 a year for the average EV driver on top of their usual road tax.
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Drivers would be required to estimate their annual mileage and then pay the charge along with their standard annual road tax.
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It is also expected that drivers of hybrid cars would be taxed at a lower rate.
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Industry critics have warned that the move could slow EV adoption, although the Government says it ensures a fairer motoring tax system.
