UK electric vehicle sales increase but remain under the target

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) emphasized that high costs are the biggest obstacle to the spread of electric vehicles and that incentives should be increased. "Affordability remains the biggest barrier to adoption, so compelling measures are needed to boost demand, not just from manufacturers," stated by SMMT CEO Mike Hawes, while calling for a halt to electric vehicle taxes to encourage more people in the industry to buy low-emission vehicles.

In January, total car sales declined by 2.5% y-o-y to 139,300 units, continuing a four-month consecutive drop. According to SMMT's revised forecasts, total car sales are expected to fall 0.2% to 1.95 million units in 2025, with BEV share remaining at 23.7%.