Electric car sales up a third in 2023 first half

Electric car sales are up a third in the first half of 2023 compared with the same period last year. For all fuel types, the UK new car market is running up 18.4%. The increase in electric car sales this year has taken their market share to 16.1%, up from 14.4% at the same time last year.

While the electric car share is growing, the current year-to-date figure is still below the 2022 year-end figure of 16.6%.

Tesla’s Model Y has topped the June new car registrations chart -the only fully electric model to feature in the top 10 best sellers’ listing. The Model Y, which accounts for three quarters of all Tesla sales, is also the fourth best-selling car in 2023.

June marks the end of a quarter when the US brand typically delivers most cars. So far this year Tesla is up 22.8%.

Plug-in hybrid new car registrations were up in line with the market and retained a 6.5% market share for the first half of 2023. 

Petrol cars accounted for 69.4% of the market, fractionally up on the same time last year, with the diesel car share falling to 7.9% from 10.5% a year ago.

June’s overall new car growth of 25.8% was powered by the company car market which is heavily weighted to plug-in vehicles thanks to low government taxation, however, after slow growth in the private retail market in the first few months of the year, June saw a 14.8% boost in this sector. The June increase has shifted the year-to-date for retail sales from negative to positive.

Car dealers Electrifying.com spoke to said the recent introduction of manufacturer offers such as low finance rates and increasing supply had helped the market and boosted consumer confidence.

They added that more offers were expected over the next 18 months as incoming government targets for zero emission cars were introduced.