More than one in three new cars registered in August came with a plug as British drivers continue to make the switch to electric vehicles and turn their backs on petrol and diesel.
New data from the New AutoMotive Electric Car Count shows that zero emission vehicles captured 26.8 per cent of all new car registrations last month.
When accounting for plug-in hybrid vehicles, the proportion of new vehicles with a plug rises to an impressive 38.8 per cent of the market share, as petrol and diesel vehicles continue to lose favour.
Electric vehicles narrowly missed out on achieving the largest market share of new vehicles, falling narrowly behind with hybrid vehicles securing an impressive 9.3 per cent.
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Electric cars made up more than one in four new vehicle registrations in August
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Corrin Reilly, Data Analyst at New AutoMotive, said: "The new registration figures for August go to show the ZEV mandate is working as intended and driving uptake of electric vehicles across the sector."
The expert also highlighted how the data showed that electric van registrations were also on the rise to claim a market share of almost 12 per cent, despite concerns that more should be done to support the uptake of larger electric vehicles.
In the year to date, new diesel vehicle registrations have dropped 12 per cent, while petrol is down a staggering 26 per cent in the same period, showing a clear shift in consumer perspectives.
August also marks a major milestone for electric cars as the implied Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate target has been achieved for the year.
While the 2025 target is 28 per cent, the goal has already been achieved once extra credits are taken into account. These are awarded when manufacturers outperform the sales targets.
The data shows that if market conditions stay as they are, with electric vehicles accounting for 21.9 per cent of registrations in the year to date, the implied target of 21.8 per cent could be achieved.
Tanya Sinclair, CEO of Electric Vehicles UK (EVUK), added: "The numbers speak for themselves: drivers are choosing electric vehicles, and are encouraged by a package of Government policy and incentives to support their switch to EV."
There are hopes that the number of electric vehicles will continue to grow in September, as the new "75" number plates are rolled out, which typically marks one of the busiest periods of the year for manufacturers and dealers.
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The Ford Puma Gen-E is one of two Ford models eligible for the £3,750 ECG incentive | FORDIt also coincides with the growing number of eligible EVs included in the Electric Car Grant, which could help drivers save up to £3,750 on some of the most popular zero emission vehicles.
Labour's £650million scheme was largely welcomed by the automotive industry for kickstarting a new wave of interest in electric vehicles across the country.
The fresh research from New AutoMotive also shows that brands are seeing more competition in the electric vehicle market, with two of the best-selling brands, Tesla and BMW, seeing registrations dip year-to-date by 5.7 per cent and 8.4 per cent, respectively.
Meanwhile, registrations of vehicles from other popular brands have seen triple-digit growth, including Volkswagen (122 per cent), Skoda (131 per cent) and Chinese newcomer BYD (223 per cent).
The Ford e-Tourneo Courier is eligible for the £3,750 EV grant | FORDHowever, American manufacturing giant Ford has seen interest and registrations grow exponentially this year, with an enormous 300 per cent rise in sales compared to last year.
So far, Ford is also the only recipient of the maximum £3,750 Electric Car Grant discount on the Puma Gen-E and the e-Tourneo Courier, suggesting that further sales could be seen over the coming years.
Ginny Buckley, chief executive of Electrifying.com, said: "Buyers are embracing the wide choice of increasingly affordable EVs now on sale in the UK.
"But September's registrations - with some models qualifying for the new Electric Car Grant - will be the real test of consumer confidence."