UK EV Car Registrations: Latest Monthly Data

Zero-emission registrations reach 29.1% in June

New official data from the Department for Transport (DfT) and DVLA shows zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) accounted for 29.1% of new car registrations in the UK in June 2026, with 63,993 ZEV cars registered out of a total of 219,716. This is the highest monthly ZEV share since December 2025, when a similar quarter-end spike reached 31.3%. The data is published as part of DfT's faster indicators of transport activity series, combining DVLA vehicle registration records with monthly industry data to produce an early estimate ahead of the more detailed quarterly official statistics. In this series, a ZEV is defined as a vehicle that emits no carbon dioxide from its tailpipe, which in practice means battery electric vehicles; hybrids and plug-in hybrids that still burn fuel are not counted as ZEVs even though they carry some electric range.

ZEV share by month: June 2025 to June 2026

Why registrations spike at certain months

The trend table above shows clear volatility tied to the UK's vehicle registration cycle rather than steady month-on-month growth. Total registrations jump sharply in March and September each year, when new registration plates are issued, as both private buyers and fleets time purchases to coincide with the fresh plate. March 2026 was the highest-volume month in the trend at 394,018 total registrations, more than double a typical month, though its ZEV share of 21.9% was below the 12-month average, since fleet-heavy plate-change volume tends to include a broader mix of fuel types. ZEV share itself also tends to peak at the end of each quarter, most visibly in December and June, which both show among the highest shares in the 13-month window, consistent with a pattern of manufacturers and dealers pushing electric registrations to help meet compliance targets measured over the year.

The gap to the ZEV Mandate target

The UK's Vehicle Emissions Trading Scheme, commonly known as the ZEV Mandate, sets a rising minimum share of zero-emission vehicles that manufacturers must register each year, reaching 33% for cars in 2026, up from 28% in 2025. June's 29.1% ZEV share sits below that 33% headline figure, though manufacturers can use flexibility mechanisms built into the mandate, including carrying over credits and CO2-based conversions from non-ZEV models, which in past years have reduced the effective compliance threshold below the headline target. Year-to-date ZEV share across the months in this trend table has generally sat in the low-to-mid twenties, meaning the industry would need a stronger run of months in the second half of the year to close the gap to the full 33% target on a straight reading of the headline figures. Broader household money and budgeting guides, including on running costs for different vehicle types, are on the money guides hub.

How this compares with industry-reported figures

Separately from the DfT/DVLA data above, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the UK automotive industry's trade body, reported the overall June 2026 car market at 213,166 registrations across all fuel types, up 11.4% year-on-year, in its own monthly release. This is a different figure to the 219,716 total shown in the DfT/DVLA table above, because the two organisations use different methodologies: DfT and DVLA figures are drawn from vehicle registration records held by DVLA, while SMMT's data is collated directly from manufacturers and reports new vehicle sales rather than all registrations, meaning it can exclude some imports and registrations from very new manufacturers not yet included in SMMT's reporting panel. Official guidance from DfT notes the two series are broadly comparable in trend but will not match exactly in absolute figures.

What this means for car insurance and buying decisions

A rising share of new registrations being zero-emission has a direct effect on the used and new car insurance market, since insurers price cover partly on a vehicle's specific make, model and repair costs, and electric vehicles can carry different premium profiles to petrol or diesel equivalents due to battery repair and replacement costs. Anyone buying a new or nearly-new car this year, electric or otherwise, will want an up-to-date insurance quote before finalising a purchase rather than assuming premiums will match a previous petrol or diesel vehicle. General, unbiased background on how car insurance pricing works is available on the insurance guides hub, and general pre-purchase checks are covered on the before you buy guides.

What to watch next

DfT has confirmed the next update to this dataset is due on 12 August 2026, covering July 2026 registrations. Given the pattern in the trend table, a fall back from June's 29.1% ZEV share toward the low-to-mid twenties in July would be consistent with the quarter-end pattern seen in each of the past several months, before the next real test comes at the September plate-change month. This guide will be updated as each new month's figures are published, rather than as a series of separate one-off articles, so the historical trend table above will extend over time rather than being duplicated across multiple pages.

Frequently asked questions

What percentage of new UK cars registered in June 2026 were zero-emission?

Official DfT and DVLA data shows 29.1% of new UK car registrations in June 2026 were zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), with 63,993 ZEV cars out of 219,716 total registrations.

Where does this ZEV registration data come from?

It is published by the Department for Transport and DVLA under the Open Government Licence v3.0, as part of a monthly series combining DVLA registration records with industry data to produce an early estimate ahead of detailed quarterly official statistics.

Why do zero-emission car registrations spike at certain times of year?

Total registrations rise sharply in March and September when new registration plates are issued. ZEV share specifically tends to peak at quarter-ends, such as June and December, consistent with manufacturers pushing electric registrations toward annual compliance targets.

What is the UK's ZEV Mandate target for 2026?

The Vehicle Emissions Trading Scheme requires 33% of manufacturers' car registrations to be zero-emission in 2026, up from 28% in 2025, though flexibility mechanisms in the scheme can reduce the effective compliance threshold below this headline figure.

Do these figures match SMMT's registration figures?

Not exactly. SMMT separately reported June 2026 UK car registrations (all fuel types) at 213,166, versus 219,716 in the DfT/DVLA data, because the two organisations use different methodologies -- DfT/DVLA data is drawn from registration records, while SMMT data is collated from manufacturers and represents new vehicle sales.