10:23 am, July 6, 2026
The UK new car market recorded its best June in six years last month, with an 11.4% rise in cars rolling out of showrooms as battery electric vehicles claimed a record 30% market share.
Latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows a total of 213,166 new cars were registered in June – the strongest performance for the month since 2019.
Growth was seen across every sales channel, with private registrations up 12.5%, fleet deliveries rising 10.5% and business registrations increasing 17.1%. Fleets continued to dominate the market, accounting for almost six in 10 (59.5%) new car registrations.
June’s rise was driven almost entirely by electrified cars.
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) took a 30.0% market share – their highest monthly share so far this year – while hybrids accounted for 14.0% and plug-in hybrids 12.5%.
The SMMT said the surge in BEV demand reflected the traditional end-of-quarter sales push by manufacturers, combined with higher fuel prices following conflict in the Middle East.
Despite the strong performance, the trade body warned the market remains well behind the government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate targets, reiterating the opinions it made last week.
Tesla locked out June’s best-selling cars table, taking first and second places. Its Model Y came out on top with 6,765 units, followed by the Model 3 with 5,408.
The Ford Puma was third with 5,284, Kia’s Sportage was fourth (4,554) and fifth went to the Nissan Qashqai (4,544).
The Puma remains the number one in year-to-date with 29,642, comfortably ahead of the second-placed Kia Sportage (25,828) and the Jaecoo 7 in third with 23,840.
‘June’s performance is very strong, showing EV uptake is growing, with battery electric cars reaching their highest market share this year and more than half of buyers choosing electrified models,’ said SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes.
‘But even these record levels are still not enough to meet mandated targets.
‘Manufacturers are investing billions developing and bringing the vehicles to market – and spending billions more to sell them, yet the market is still not moving fast enough.
‘Reforming the mandate now is essential not just to keep the transition on track but to protect the UK’s competitiveness, attract investment and safeguard jobs.’
