Ben Lane of NextGreenCar.com: The last three years have seen a remarkable surge in demand for electric vehicles in the UK – new registrations of plug-in cars increased from 3,500 in 2013 to over 35,200 by the end of May 2015. There has also been a huge increase in the number of electric and plug-in hybrid models available in the UK with each of the 10 best-selling brands in the UK now offering an EV as part of their model range.
The following sections present UK sales of electric cars and vans since 2011, and the total number of EVs registered in the UK. Also charted are the number of models currently available as well as the number of publicly available charging points according to the Zap-Map database.
How many electric vehicles have been sold in the UK?
Monthly figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that electric car sales in the UK have risen dramatically during the past 12 months. While only around 500 electric cars were registered per month at the start of 2014, this has now risen to an average of around 2,400 per month in 2015. As a percentage of new car registrations, electric cars now represent approximately 1% of the total new car market in the UK.
Source: Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, May 2015.
The cumulative figure also shows sustained and dramatic growth of the EV car and van market. According to the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) and SMMT, more than 33,000 claims have been made through the Plug-in Car and Van Grant schemes (as of May 2015).
Taken together with the fact that roughly 1,500 electric cars and vans which are not eligible for the grant schemes have also been registered, the total UK light-duty electric fleet is now approaching 35,000 electric vehicles.
Source: SMMT, OLEV, DfT Statistics; Analysis: Next Green Car, April 2015.
What are the UK's most popular EV models?
The latest figures show that the Nissan LEAF maintains its position as the most popular electric car or van in the UK, with at least 6,838 vehicles registered by the end of 2014, representing around 30% of all EV sales. The registration data also shows the new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has made a dramatic entry to the UK market; the electric SUV is already in second position with over 5,273 sales less than a year after its UK release.
In third and fourth places, now beating two longer established plug-in hybrids, are the BMW i3 with at least 1,534 UK registrations (635 all-electric and 899 range-extender variants), and the Renault ZOE with 1,356 UK sales by the end of 2014. Two plug-in hybrids are in fourth and fifth positions: the Toyota Prius PHEV (with 1,324 registrations); and the Vauxhall Ampera (1,169 vehicles). Tesla's Model S now accounts for over 697 UK sales.
Taken overall and include all plug-in models, pure electric cars and vans account for just over 60% of total EV sales with plug-in hybrids accounting for the other 40%. However, where both power-train options are available within the same model range, the data suggests a preference for plug-in hybrid or range-extender variants (see figures for BMW i3 above).
Source: DfT Vehicle Licensing Statistics. Analysis Next Green Car, May 2015.
A key indicator as to the strength of the UK market for electric vehicles is the number of segments covered by the EV models currently available. While the main nine EVs available in 2011 covered four body styles including city cars,small family cars
, small vans and sports coupés, the 33 electric cars and vans available in 2015 now include superminis, large family cars, hatchbacks, estates, SUVs, executive models, and a medium van.Previous experience of introducing new technologies into the automotive market show that having a broad range of both models and body styles is key to ensuring strong uptake of new power-trains. With the large number of brands and classes now available, the EV market has a very strong base on which to continue to grow.
How many EV charging points are there in the UK?
As a result of sustained government and private investment, the UK network of EV charging points has increased from a few hundred in 2011 to over 8,400 in June 2015. The proportion of charger types has also changed dramatically during that time with an increase in high power (rapid) units being installed across the UK.
There are three main EV charger types: 'slow' charging units (up to 3kW) which are best suited for 6-8 hours overnight; 'fast' chargers (7-22kW) which can fully recharge some models in 3-4 hours; and 'rapid' charging units (43-50kW) which are able to provide an 80% charge in around 30 minutes. Rapid chargers also come in two charge point types – AC and DC – depending on whether they use alternating current or direct current.
