Record number of plug-in vehicles on the road

The number of plug-in electric cars on British roads grew by three quarters last year, according to new Motorparc data released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The UK’s largest automotive analysis shows there is now a record 195,410 plug-in vehicles on our roads. Overall ownership of alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs) increased by almost 30% last year, with more than 620,000 hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and battery electric cars now in use.

Average CO2 emissions for the UK Motorparc have fallen to the lowest on record, down -17.8 per cent compared with 2008. Advanced powertrains, transmission types, lightweight materials and aerodynamics have made cars more efficient than ever before.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “Thanks to massive investment from manufacturers in delivering a wide range of models across all fuel types, to suit all driving needs, environmental gains are now being delivered across the UK. Ever-more advanced in technology makes every new generation of vehicle more efficient than the last, and this is filtering rapidly from the new car market into the broader parc. Fleet renewal is proven to work so we need a world-class package of incentives and infrastructure to give motorists the confidence to buy the latest, cleanest cars, whatever the fuel type, in the greater numbers we need to meet environmental challenges.”