--- title: Electric Vehicle Take-Up Ahead In UK And Ireland description: The take-up of new electric vehicles in the UK and Ireland is pulling ahead of the rest of Europe, according to the latest figures. image: https://betterworld.solutions/hubfs/Betterworld/news/BW-Electric-Vehicle-420.webp --- Together as business leaders, we can make a difference. 'Heroes of Net Zero' [Follow Us](https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-rea-8961b617/detail/recent-activity/posts/) [![](https://betterworld.solutions/hubfs/raw_assets/public/bw-theme/images/bw-logo-01.svg)](https://betterworld.solutions/) - - [Why we are taking action](https://betterworld.solutions/statement) - [Real World Examples](https://betterworld.solutions/examples) - [Net Zero Training](https://betterworld.solutions/net-zero-sustainability-training) - [Create your own Policy](https://betterworld.solutions/form) - Menu Menu # Electric Vehicle Take-Up Ahead In UK And Ireland ![Betterworld electric vehicle charing at AESSEAL Rotherham headquarters.](https://betterworld.solutions/hs-fs/hubfs/Betterworld/news/BW-Electric-Vehicle.webp?width=1336&name=BW-Electric-Vehicle.webp "Betterworld electric vehicle charing at AESSEAL Rotherham headquarters.") ### The take-up of new electric vehicles in the UK and Ireland is pulling ahead of the rest of Europe, according to the latest figures by the motor manufacturers’ organisations. In the UK the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the trade body that compiles the British registration tables, says that in the year to September 454,947 EVs were registered, meaning they now represent more than one quarter of all new vehicles (26.16% against 22.14% in 2025). Overall, there were 1.7 million new registrations (up 10.2%). Meanwhile in Ireland, the move to EVs is even more pronounced. SIMI, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, says that in the year to October there were 36,270 EV registrations, up 57% on the same period the previous year. Battery electric is now Ireland’s largest single powertrain at 27.74%, ahead of petrol hybrid on 23.54%. And 61% of this year’s electric registrations were outside Dublin. SIMI director general Brian Cooke says 2026 has been a landmark year for Battery Electric Vehicle sales and calls for government incentives to ensure that the trend continues. *“The momentum is clearly there, and the government has a real opportunity in Budget 2027 to ensure the continued expansion in BEV sales. This is especially important in the context of increasing fossil fuel costs and Ireland’s climate targets,”* he added. ACEA (the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association), based in Brussels, counts 1,931,465 new battery electric cars in the EU for January to September 2026, a 22.7% share against 16.1% in the same nine months of 2025. The total market for all new registrations was just over 8.5 million (up 5.7%). In Europe, the EV rise is concentrated in France (+79.1%), Germany (+58.1%), Denmark (+40.3%), and Belgium (+15.7%), with those four countries carrying 64% of EU electric registrations. Several factors are driving the rise in EVs. In the UK, the pressure of government regulation alongside the increased cost of diesel and petrol is combined with a reduction of range anxiety. The EV Database puts real world range of new EVs at roughly 234 to 243 miles, while average daily journeys are only a small fraction of that. Fossil fuel volatility continues to heavily influence behaviour. According to SMMT indicators and other analysts, sharply rising fuel prices, with petrol climbing well past 169p per litre and diesel exceeding 191p, have forced drivers to re-evaluate running costs. Surveys from Carwow indicate that lower running costs are now the top motivator for 46% of UK buyers switching to EVs, significantly outpacing purely environmental motivations (29%). Commentators also point to the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate. Under the rules, car manufacturers must ensure that a certain percentage of their new car sales are fully electric (targeting 33% for the full year) or face severe fines of £15,000 per non-compliant combustion vehicle. This pressure has resulted in big retail incentives, with new EVs seeing average discounts of £11,000 to bridge the price gap with traditional petrol models. Choice has also grown with nearly 180 different BEV models across 51 brands, with numerous electric choices now in the sub-£30,000 range, reducing the barrier to entry for mainstream consumers. ### **Explore** If enough businesses act, together we can slow down or help to prevent Global Warming. 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