10:35 am, November 9, 2026
Used electric car sales jumped by almost a quarter in the third quarter of 2026 as the UK’s second-hand market recorded its strongest Q3 performance in five years.
New figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) today (Nov 9) show that 97,625 used battery electric vehicles (BEVs) changed hands between July and September.
That represents a 23.2% increase on the same period last year, with EVs now accounting for 4.8% of all used car transactions, up from 3.9% in Q3 2025.
The growth came as the wider used car market enjoyed its second consecutive quarter of expansion, with transactions rising 0.5% to 2,030,619.
It was the strongest third-quarter performance since 2021, while the year-to-date market is now 0.3% ahead of 2025, with 6,056,169 cars changing hands.
That makes the first nine months of 2026 the strongest for the used car market since before the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019.
Electric cars have been a major driver of that growth, with used BEV transactions rising 39.6% so far this year to 295,524.
The latest figures have been welcomed by industry leaders, with several major retailers and marketplaces reporting strong demand for second-hand EVs.
Autotrader says its own data shows used electric retail sales rose 56% year on year in October, accounting for one in ten used retail sales tracked on its platform.
Among cars less than five years old, EVs accounted for around one in four sales.
Ian Plummer, chief customer officer at Autotrader, said: ‘What is really striking, though, is the momentum behind used electric cars.
‘With an ever-growing choice reaching second-hand buyers, and EVs the only fuel type recording year-on-year price growth, electric is becoming an increasingly important retail opportunity.’
He added that cars took an average of 29 days to sell in October, unchanged from the same month last year.
Elsewhere, Big Motoring World reported record third-quarter sales of almost 18,000 vehicles, with EVs accounting for 20% of its total sales mix.
Laurence Vaughan, CEO of Big Motoring World, said: ‘Despite a relatively stagnant quarter for the wider used car market, Big Motoring World achieved record Q3 sales of nearly 18,000.
‘EV sales alone rose to secure 20% of the total sales mix, a 17% increase year-on-year, and overall Q3 volumes were boosted by our best-ever August and September.’
He attributed the retailer’s performance to changes in its stock mix, customer service investment and new pricing strategies.
AA Cars also reported growing interest in electric vehicles, with views of used EV listings on its platform jumping almost 50% year on year in September.
Its research found that more than a third of used Tesla Model 3s, Polestar 2s and Tesla Model Ys sold through its platform this year found buyers within seven days.
James Hosking, managing director of AA Cars, said: ‘The used market is also making the switch to electric much more affordable.
‘The AA’s latest EV Readiness Index found that while new electric cars cost, on average, 25% more than comparable petrol models, the premium falls to just 1% in the used market.’
He added that motorists able to charge at home could benefit from electricity costs per mile that were 66% lower than petrol.
Despite the growing popularity of EVs, petrol and diesel cars continue to dominate the second-hand market.
Petrol remained the most popular fuel type, accounting for 1,148,576 transactions and 56.6% of the market, almost unchanged from the same period last year.
Diesel sales fell 5.3% to 623,354 units, giving the fuel a 30.7% market share.
Overall, petrol and diesel vehicles still accounted for 87.5% of used car transactions, down from 89.5% a year earlier.
Hybrid electric vehicles also enjoyed a strong third quarter, with sales climbing 25.9% to 135,204 units, giving them a 6.7% market share.
However, plug-in hybrids bucked the trend, with transactions falling 13.3% to 20,911.
The latest figures also prompted the SMMT to renew its calls for changes to the government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate.
The trade body warned that manufacturers’ reliance on discounting new electric cars to meet increasingly challenging targets is putting pressure on trade-in values.
It argues that this risks discouraging motorists from changing their vehicles and could slow the supply of cars entering the second-hand market.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: ‘Another quarter of growth means Britain’s used car market remains on course for its best year since the Covid-19 pandemic.
‘Long-term investment in new models is broadening choice for used car buyers, while growth in new EVs is driving a surge in second-hand uptake.
‘To sustain this progress and make zero emission mobility possible for all motorists, the new car market must remain strong, underpinned by measures that boost EV demand – including affordable and widely accessible charging infrastructure and compelling fiscal incentives.’
Philip Nothard, insight director at Cox Automotive, said the latest figures demonstrated the resilience of the automotive sector, with new and used car markets growing alongside each other.
He said: ‘Exceeding two million used car transactions in Q3 is a strong achievement and further evidence of the UK’s resilient automotive sector.
‘However, with higher interest rates and ongoing speculation around potential changes to the ZEV mandate, the industry will be watching closely to see whether this momentum can be sustained into 2027.’
Elsewhere, superminis remained the UK’s most popular type of used car, with 650,511 transactions representing 32% of the market.
Lower medium cars followed with a 26.6% share, despite sales dipping 0.5%.
SUVs, categorised by the SMMT as dual purpose vehicles, recorded the strongest growth of any segment, with transactions climbing 8.5% to 368,428.
They now account for 18.1% of the second-hand market.
When it came to colours, black remained the nation’s favourite, accounting for 21.2% of transactions.
Together, black, grey and white made up 56.7% of all used car sales, with more than 1.15m vehicles changing hands in the three colours.