September 2025 was a month of multiple milestones for the UK’s electric vehicle market, with a confluence of factors leading to a series of record-breaking achievements that have redefined the landscape of British motoring.
The first and most prominent milestone was the record for total battery EV sales in a single month. The 72,800 registrations, a rise of nearly a third year-on-year, represents the highest volume of pure electric cars ever sold in the UK in a monthly period. This was accompanied by a spectacular 56% surge in plug-in hybrid sales, another standout performance.
The second key milestone was the collective market share of electrified vehicles. For the first time in a key plate-change month, the combined sales of pure EVs, plug-in hybrids, and conventional hybrids accounted for more than half of all new car registrations. This marks a critical tipping point, signaling the transition of green cars from a niche segment to the market’s primary driving force.
A third milestone relates to the overall market performance. The electric surge helped lift total car sales to their highest September level since 2020. While still below pre-pandemic figures, this post-COVID high for the month indicates a significant, if fragile, step in the industry’s recovery, powered almost exclusively by the EV boom.
These milestones were all underpinned by the reintroduction of a government grant, making September a case study in the power of policy to shape a market. The month will be remembered not for one single achievement, but as a period where multiple records were smashed simultaneously, cementing the irreversible momentum of the UK’s electric transition.