Electric cars dominate sales with 'winning market share' as UK drivers ignore petrol and diesel vehicles

While the sales total fell just short of the number of EVs registered in March, interest in electric cars continues to grow as drivers turn away from petrol and diesel vehicles.

Diesel car registrations dropped by a third compared to the same time last year, making up just four per cent of the new sales market.

The dwindling interest in polluting diesel vehicles has forced September sales to their weakest level in the last 25 years.

Many drivers opted for a plug-in hybrid vehicle in September, with growth of 32 per cent in the last year. This means that just under one in three new cars registered has a plug.

The Electric Car Count data also shows that larger electric vehicles broke records, with vans seeing their second largest total in a single month, as well as the largest month of registrations for electric HGVs.

The impressive sales data also suggests that the UK is ahead of targets set out in the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which requires 28 per cent of sales to be electric by the end of the year.

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With a year-to-date market share of 22.16 per cent, electric vehicles are ahead of the implied target of 21.76 per cent when CO2 credits are taken into account.

Manufacturers are already taking steps to ensure their vehicle sales come from zero emission options, with all new sales of petrol and diesel cars being banned by the end of the decade.

Ciara Cook, research manager at New AutoMotive, praised the data, saying that it was proof that drivers want to move to cleaner transport options.

She added: "The overall message is clear: across every segment, electric vehicles are winning market share, while petrol and diesel continue to decline.

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"The ZEV mandate is working as intended - driving choice, supply and uptake - and ensuring the UK stays on track to meet its climate commitments."

Cook also highlighted how the Conservatives were "sending exactly the wrong signal" after leader Kemi Badenoch said she would scrap the Climate Change Act, despite the Tories introducing the ZEV mandate.

Tesla remains the best-selling electric vehicle manufacturer, with 36,424 sales in the year-to-date, representing almost 10.5 per cent of all EV sales.

Ford is seeing one of the biggest increases in EV sales, with a 257.2 per cent jump compared to the same time last year.

Ford's boost in EV sales could be linked to its inclusion in Labour's £650million Electric Car Grant, with the Puma Gen-E and the e-Tourneo Courier being the only two vehicles included in the £3,750 tier of the incentive scheme.

Tanya Sinclair, CEO of Electric Vehicles UK, praised the huge jump in EV sales, acknowledging that uptake would "ebb and flow" with the seasons, model launches, economic confidence and perception around charging.

September is historically one of the most popular times of the year to buy a new car, alongside March, as drivers look to get their hands on new models and the latest number plates, with the "75" tag launching on September 1.

Ginny Buckley, CEO of Electrifying.com, said: "EV sales have been boosted by deals that make switching a no-brainer, with leases often far cheaper than petrol alternatives.

"Alongside manufacturer-backed incentives, such as BYD's discounted cars, Government grants are also driving registrations."