Data shows 1 in 4 cars sold in June were electric: comment

Responding to analysis from New Automotive showing that 1 in 4 cars sold in the UK in June were electric [1] Colin Walker, Head of Transport at the Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), said: “Despite persistent claims in some quarters that EV sales are stalling, the data tells a very different story. EV sales for the month are up 46%, while petrol sales are down 11%, meaning more and more drivers are making the shift to cleaner and cheaper electric driving. And with the likes of Ford increasing their year-to-date EV sales by 333%, and Renault by 251%, we’re seeing more traditional manufacturers rising to the challenge of building and selling the electric vehicles that people increasingly demand.  

“EV market share for the year to date now stands at 21.6%. Since flexibilities worked into in Government’s ZEV mandate – in response to lobbying by the car industry - effectively lower the EV sales target for 2025 from 28% to 22%, the car industry as a whole is very much on track to hit these targets for the second year running.

“This is all proof that the ZEV mandate continues to work as intended - increasing competition between manufacturers, driving down prices and driving up sales. This in turn will expand the second hand EV market, making it easier for the majority of us that rely on this market to make the move to electric driving. Given the success the mandate is having in driving up sales, and the success that many manufacturers are having in rising to the challenge of meeting these targets, it is disappointing that the Government recently chose to weaken the mandate, which threatens to undo this progress. These changes could instead incentivise the sale of dirtier and more expensive plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, [2] which burn 350% more fuel than their manufacturers claim, at the expensive of EVs.”

A recent report by CBI Economics, commissioned by the ECIU, revealed that a failure by the car industry to make the transition to manufacturing EVs could see its contributions to the UK economy fall by as much as 73%, or £34.1bn, and over 400,000 jobs could be lost. Conversely, economic output could increase by over £16bn, and 167,000 new jobs could be created, if a rapid and successful transition takes place. Government support is critical in avoiding such an outcome, and this includes the provision of a stable and supportive regulatory environment through keeping measures like the ZEV Mandate in place. [3]

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. The analysis by New Automotive is published on Friday 4 July. 

2. https://climate.ec.europa.eu/news-your-voice/news/first-commission-report-real-world-co2-emissions-cars-and-vans-using-data-board-fuel-consumption-2024-03-18_en 

3. https://eciu.net/media/press-releases/2024/34bn-loss-car-industry-could-crash-if-ev-investment-stalled 

For more information or for interview requests:

George Smeeton, Head of Communications, ECIU, Tel: 07894 571 153, email: george.smeeton@eciu.net