More than one million battery-powered vehicles now on UK roads

The UK now has more than one million fully electric vehicles on its roads, according to the latest figures released by The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Learn more about the rising popularity of electric cars in this article written by Rebecca Chaplin from PA Motoring Service.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders released its new car registration figures for 2022 this morning, revealing that 2.7 per cent of cars on UK roads are now hybrid electric, 1.2 per cent are plug-in hybrids and 1.9 per cent are battery electric.

This takes the total to 1,089,241, up 3.1 per cent from the previous year.

The number of vehicles on UK roads has also risen for the first time since 2019, reaching a record figure of 40.7mil.

This was influenced by the increase in trucks and vans, now totalling 615,570 and 4.9mil respectively, thanks to increased uptake by businesses.

Vans and trucks also played a key role in the uptake of emission-free vehicles as electric vans increased 67.3 per cent and buses and coaches increased by 34.9 per cent.

The UK also saw vehicle scrappage decline in 2022 as supply for cars and vans continued to outstrip demand.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “After two tough years, Britain is on the road to recovery with the first growth in car ownership since the pandemic – while vans and trucks also continue to deliver for business and society in ever greater numbers.

“Better still, we are driving Britain towards a net zero future with more than a million zero emission vehicles now on the road and cutting carbon.”

He added: “With exciting new technologies and models fuelling our appetite to get back behind the wheel, now is the time to commit to greater investment in infrastructure and incentives, to speed up a switch to carbon-free mobility that is accessible to all.”