UK car customers have an unprecedented level of choice for electric cars as there are now 130 models to choose from, according to new data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
It means two in every five new cars on sale are available with an electric powertrain, giving customers even more choice when considering to make the switch to electric with the help of their preferred dealership.
The latest figure represents an uplift on the 102 electric cars available this time last year.
There are also more than 100 plug-in hybrids (PHEV) and nearly 50 hybrids (HEV), meaning four out of five cars models are available with electrified powertrains.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said, “There’s never been a better time to go electric – with more choice, better vehicle range and improving infrastructure offering a compelling driving proposition. But the market still isn’t moving fast enough so bold support for consumer EV uptake – notably investment in incentives and infrastructure – is needed to accelerate decarbonisation efforts and make switching open to all drivers.”
Despite the broad range of electric models on sale, only 20% of new car registrations so far this year are for fully electric models. The majority of new electric car sales come from the fleet and salary sacrifice channels, driven by favourable taxation schemes.
The SMMT said natural market demand is still “well below the mandated government target of 28% this year” and has outlined a package of measures to boost uptake.
The car industry is calling for a halving of VAT on new electric vehicle (EV) purchases, a move which would put 267,000 additional new EVs – rather than fossil fuel vehicles – on the road, driving down CO2 emissions by six million tonnes a year; scrapping, or amending, the VED Expensive Car Supplement; and equalising VAT paid on public charging to that levied at home.