One electric vehicle (EV) was registered every three minutes in the UK in 2020, with the EV market having its best performing year-to-date, up by 140%.
Data published earlier this month by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) revealed that the total number of new, fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles registered last year peaked at 175,082.
According to campaign group Go Ultra Year, this growth in the EV market was in part driven by a significant increase in models for consumers and businesses to choose from.
This increase in choice has also been accompanied by a number of supportive policy measures, including the Plug-In Car Grant (PICG) that offers £3,000 off a fully electric car costing less than £50,000.
The continued growth of the EV market has also been accompanied by an increasing number of public charge points. The Government recently announced £1.3bn of additional funding to accelerate the rollout of EV infrastructure in homes, streets and on motorways.
Poppy Welch, head of Go Ultra Low, said: ‘The increase in uptake of EVs never ceases to impress me. While there were less than a handful of EVs to choose from in 2011, there are now more than 100 models available and for the first time ever, manufacturers are scheduled to bring more brand-new EVs to market than either petrol or diesel models.
‘2020 really was just the start of the electric revolution, and we’re looking forward to helping even more consumers and businesses begin their EV journey.’
Transport Minister Rachel Maclean added: ‘In what has been a difficult year for the wider car market, it’s encouraging to see that EV sales have dramatically increased over the year. This government is going further and faster than ever before to decarbonise transport and this is welcome news as we accelerate towards a cleaner, greener transport future.’
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