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Electric cars have become increasingly popular over the past few years as people look for ways to reduce their carbon footprint and improve air quality, spearheaded by rising fuel costs & more attention to environmental issues. In the UK, the number of electric cars on the road has been steadily increasing, going just 134 registered EVs in the country in 2011, to over 550,000 today. With this growth largely driven by government incentives, improvements in battery technology, and growing consumer demand.

According to the latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), there are currently over 550,000 electric vehicles (EVs) on the roads in the UK. This includes battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Of these, around 435,000 are pure EVs, meaning they run solely on electricity and have no internal combustion engine. The remaining 115,000 are PHEVs, which have a combination of an electric motor and a petrol or diesel engine.

One major factor driving the growth of the EV market in the UK is the increasing availability of charging infrastructure. There are now over 25,000 public charging points in the country, with plans to increase this number to 70,000 by 2030. This has helped to address one of the main concerns for EV buyers which has restricted orders in the past.

In addition to government incentives and charging infrastructure, there has been a growing awareness among consumers of the need to reduce carbon emissions and tackle climate change. Many people are choosing to switch to electric cars as a way to reduce their environmental impact and make a positive contribution to the planet.

Despite the growth in the market, however, electric cars still represent a relatively small proportion of all vehicles on the roads in the UK. According to the SMMT, EVs made up just 2.3% of all new car registrations in 2020.

While EVs still represent a relatively small proportion of all vehicles on the roads, the market is expected to continue to grow in the coming years, as more people become aware of the benefits of electric cars, more models become available, and prices steadily decrease. As the UK aims to reach its net-zero emissions target by 2050, the growth of the EV market will play an important role.