9:47 am, November 5, 2026
The Jaecoo 7 was the UK’s best-selling new car once again in October, as the wider market enjoyed its 11th consecutive month of growth.
Figures published this morning (Nov 5) by the SMMT show that the Chinese SUV enjoyed 3,412 registrations in the tenth month of the year, enough to place it ahead of the second-placed Ford Puma on 3,369.
It marks the second month in a row that the 7 has topped the UK’s sales charts, while it also came out on top back in March.
The model is now the second best seller in the year to date on 42,885 registrations, trailing only the Puma on 46,295.
Elsewhere, the wider UK new car market grew by 5.4% to 152,730 registrations, marking its 11th month of growth in a row.
Electric car registrations also reached their highest market share of the year but the SMMT says it expects the gap between demand and the Government’s ZEV Mandate targets to more than double by 2028.
The latest figures show that BEVs accounted for 32% of new car registrations last month, as manufacturers stepped up incentives to push sales.
However, the latest market outlook suggests electric cars will account for just 27.2% of registrations across the whole of 2026, falling short of the ZEV Mandate’s 33% target.
The shortfall is forecast to widen further over the next two years, with BEVs expected to take a 32% share in 2027 against a target of 38%.
By 2028, the SMMT expects electric cars to account for 37.5% of registrations, 14.5 percentage points below the mandated target of 52%.
The figures come despite manufacturers spending billions on discounts, low and zero per cent finance deals, deposit contributions and subsidised charging to encourage motorists to switch to electric cars.
October’s BEV registrations rose 32.7% year on year, while plug-in hybrids also enjoyed strong growth, climbing 30.1% to take a 15% market share.
Together, plug-in hybrids and battery electric cars accounted for 47% of all registrations, while all electrified vehicles, including conventional hybrids, made up 59% of the market.
More than 503,000 battery electric cars have now been registered in 2026, up 30.4% on the same period last year.
When it came to individual models, the best-selling BEV in October was the Skoda Enyaq of 1,568 registrations.
The SMMT said manufacturers had invested £14.3bn in UK electric vehicle manufacturing since 2020, helping bring more than 180 BEV models to market.
But it warned that the cost of pushing electric car sales beyond underlying consumer demand was damaging manufacturers’ profitability and could undermine future investment.
The trade body is calling on the Government to make substantial changes to the ZEV Mandate, including lowering targets to better reflect demand and retaining regulatory flexibilities to help manufacturers meet their obligations.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said the industry was spending billions to encourage drivers to make the switch, but warned that the current approach could not continue indefinitely.
He said: ‘Almost one in three new cars registered in October was electric – great progress in the transition, but one that comes at enormous cost.
‘The industry and government are spending billions to help drivers switch, but that support cannot be sustained indefinitely with the gap to mandated targets set to more than double by 2028, just as a new EV-only tax is introduced.
‘Higher targets may force supply, but they do not create demand. The ZEV Mandate review must deliver substantive reform effective immediately to ensure we have a healthy market and an attractive pitch to investors.’
The SMMT also warned that recent Government policy risked sending mixed messages to motorists.
It pointed to confirmation of the new electric vehicle excise duty (eVED), due to come into force in 2028, as well as proposals to retain 20% VAT on public charging while domestic electricity use remains subject to a lower rate.
The organisation is calling for long-term certainty over grants and other incentives, cheaper public charging and the removal of measures it believes could discourage motorists from switching.
October’s growth was recorded across all sales channels, with fleet registrations rising 5.4% to 89,985 units, accounting for 58.9% of the market.
Private registrations increased by 4.1% to 58,229, giving them a 38.1% share, while business registrations climbed 24.5% to 4,516.
SMMT wants stronger ties with Europe
The latest figures come after the SMMT also called for closer cooperation between the UK and European Union to protect the automotive industry from increased competition, largely from China.
A new report, commissioned jointly by the SMMT and European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), warns that both markets risk losing ground unless they work more closely on trade, battery production and critical raw materials.
One of the most pressing concerns is the introduction of tougher rules of origin requirements under the UK-EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement from January 1, 2027.
The report warns neither market can be certain of having sufficient qualifying battery supplies by then, potentially leaving manufacturers facing substantial additional costs.
It calls for greater flexibility around the rules, a joint battery supply chain strategy and UK inclusion in the EU’s proposed ‘Made in Europe’ measures.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: ‘The UK and EU are bound by €80bn in annual automotive trade and millions of jobs.
‘At a time of intense global competition, this report makes clear the need for both sides to collaborate and remove barriers to trade.
‘Our collective response must strengthen both sectors, with the UK included in “Made in Europe” measures, a pragmatic solution to 2027 rules of origin, and stronger integrated supply chains. Get this right and we can attract investment, safeguard jobs and drive growth on both sides.’