New data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveals that there are now over 130 electric car models on sale in the UK.
This time last year, consumers could choose from just 102 electric models, but that number has risen by 27% over the past year, offering both fleets and everyday drivers an increasingly broad range of options.
Consumers will also find over 100 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) models and around 50 hybrid (HEV) models on the market.
SMMT chief executive, Mike Hawes, said: “There’s never been a better time to go electric – with more choice, better vehicle range and improving infrastructure offering a compelling driving proposition. But the market still isn’t moving fast enough so bold support for consumer EV uptake – notably investment in incentives and infrastructure – is needed to accelerate decarbonisation efforts and make switching open to all drivers.”
While electric models are on the rise, electric vehicle sales do not appear to be following suit, only 20% of new car registrations this year are for fully electric models. These seem to be largely driven by salary sacrifice schemes and financially attractive taxation schemes.
According to the SMMT, demand is still “well below the mandated government target of 28% this year.”
To boost EV uptake, the car industry is calling for the government to make a number of changes to taxation. Namely, the industry is pushing for VAT on new electric vehicles to be cut, for the ‘VED Expensive Car Supplement’ to be scrapped or amended and for public charging to be made cheaper and fairer.
