According to foreign media reports, data from the Association of Automobile Manufacturers and Dealers (SMMT) shows that due to the decline in prices and the increase in model selection, the sales of second-hand electric vehicles in the UK hit a record high last year, reaching 188,382 units, a year-on-year increase of 57.4%, accounting for the entire second-hand one, accounting for the entire second-hand one. 2.5% of the car market sales.
In 2024, the total sales of used cars in the UK increased by 5.5% year-on-year to 7.6 million vehicles. Like in 2023, used car sales increased every month last year.
In recent years, some popular second-hand electric car models in the UK, such as the Tesla Model 3 and the Kia e-Niro, have dropped sharply, and in some cases, prices are already close to oil cars. A UK industry insider said, “Sales of used electric vehicles have grown strongly, in large part because their prices are already basically on par with petrol cars. This shows that once prices drop, consumer demand for electric vehicles will be revealed.”
James Hosking, managing director of used car dealer AA Cars, UK, said: “The used car market continues to improve, and as more electric and hybrid cars enter the used market, buyers now have more choices than ever before. Helps drive demand. At the same time, this growth also highlights a key consumption trend – affordable prices are the king. With tight family budgets, many people choose to buy quasi-new cars rather than brand-new cars.”
SMMT also said that black is still the preferred color for used car buyers at present, and the subcompact car is the most popular model.
In fact, not only used electric vehicles, but also achieved record sales of new electric vehicles in the UK last year. Nearly one-fifth of the 1.95 million cars sold in the UK in 2024 are electric vehicles, up from 16.5% in 2023. SUVs dominate the new car, surpassing other popular models such as subcompact cars for the first time, because the market shift to electric cars has driven SUV sales, as larger cars have more room to accommodate batteries.
In recent years, the sales of electric vehicles in the UK have soared, and the main driving force behind it is related policies and regulations. The UK has clearly required automakers to increase sales of electric vehicles year by year to reduce carbon dioxide emissions in the transportation sector. Data shows that in 2022, carbon emissions in the UK’s transportation sector account for 28% of the total domestic carbon emissions, and reducing this part of the carbon emissions is crucial to the UK’s overall emission reduction target.
According to the UK’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) regulations, by 2030, 80% of new light vehicles and 70% of new vans will achieve zero emissions, and this proportion will increase to 100% by 2035.
However, the demand for electric vehicles in the global new car market is currently on a downward trend, and due to this, the British government is planning to relax the ZEV regulations.