Cars in the UK: Total numbers and when electric vehicles will take over
20/04/2026
The UK car market is entering a major transition, as the government sets a clear path towards zero-emission vehicles through long-term policy goals.
With legally binding targets in place to reach 100% zero-emission new car sales by 2035, manufacturers and consumers are already moving towards electric alternatives.[1] Despite this, the majority (84.8%) of the UK’s current car fleet is petrol- or diesel-powered.
This guide explores how many cars are on UK roads today, how fuel types are changing, and what the transition to electric vehicles looks like in practice.
Key findings
- There are 34.5 million licensed cars in the UK, accounting for 81% of all vehicles, based on 2025 DVLA data.
- The total number of vehicles reached 42.43 million, with light goods vehicles accounting for 11.5% and motorcycles for 3.5% of the fleet in 2025.
- Approximately 2 million new cars were sold in 2025, the highest annual total since 2019, showing continued recovery in new registrations after a decline during the pandemic.
- New sales of all EVs overtook petrol for the first time in 2025, making up 48.4% (978,676 registrations).
- The UK’s ZEV mandate sets increasingly ambitious targets for zero-emission new car sales, rising from 22% in 2024 to 80% by 2030 and 100% by 2035.
- The Tesla Model Y was the best-selling EV for three consecutive years in 2023, 2024 and 2025, including 24,298 registrations in 2025.
- Petrol and diesel still dominate the road, making up 84.8% (29.2 million) of all cars, compared to 15.2% electrified vehicles – or 12.9% when including the full vehicle fleet, based on 2025 data.
- By 2034, electrified vehicles are projected to make up 50.5% of all vehicles (21 million) on UK roads, compared to a combined 20.6 million petrol and diesel vehicles (49.5%), marking the first point when they become the majority of the total vehicle fleet.
How many cars are there in the UK?
There are 34.5 million licensed cars in the UK, based on the latest DVLA data for 2025, making cars the most common vehicle type on the UK’s roads. This marks an increase of 500,000 cars (+1.5%) compared to 2024 (34 million).
Cars account for around 81% of all vehicles on the road, the same share as the previous year, meaning their proportion of the total fleet has remained unchanged. This is because total vehicle numbers also grew at a similar rate, increasing from 41.9 million to 42.4 million (+1.4%), so cars expanded in line with the wider vehicle population rather than gaining share.[2]
What type of vehicles are on UK roads?
The UK government classifies licensed vehicles into different categories such as cars, motorcycles, buses and coaches, light goods vehicles (LGVs), heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and other vehicles.
As mentioned, the total number of licensed vehicles reached 42.4 million in 2025, an increase of 570,000 vehicles (1.4%) compared to 2024 (41.9 million), showing continued growth in the UK’s vehicle fleet.
Cars account for the largest share at 81%, followed by light goods vehicles at 11.5%. Motorcycles make up 3.5% of all vehicles, while “other vehicles” account for around 2%, covering specialist and less common types such as Hackney Carriages, rear diggers, lift trucks and ambulances. Buses and coaches represent the smallest share at just 0.3%.[2],[3]
Changes in car numbers
The number of cars has risen from 34 million in Q3 2024 to 34.5 million in Q3 2025, an increase of 0.5 million (+1.4%). Looking at quarterly changes, the figures show a generally upward trend, with a pause in growth between Q3 and Q4 in 2024, remaining at 34 million. From there, car numbers increased in each subsequent quarter, rising to 34.2 million in Q1 2025, 34.4 million in Q2 2025 and reaching 34.5 million in 2025.[2]
Source: [2]
Changes in light goods vehicles numbers
Light goods vehicles reached 4.9 million in Q3 2025, up from 4.8 million in Q3 2024, an increase of around 60,000 vehicles (+1.2%). They accounted for 11.5% of all vehicles in both Q3 2024 and Q3 2025, meaning their share of the total fleet has remained unchanged.
Looking at the quarterly figures, LGV numbers rose gradually across the periods, increasing from 4.8 million in Q4 2024 to 4.8 million in Q1 2025, 4.9 million in Q2 2025, and 4.9 million in Q3 2025. While rounding to one decimal place makes some quarters appear flat, the underlying data shows steady incremental growth, in line with trends seen across the wider vehicle fleet.[2]
Source: [2]
Changes in motorcycle numbers
Motorcycle numbers remained broadly unchanged year-on-year, holding at around 1.5 million in both Q3 2024 and Q3 2025, with a consistent share of 3.5% of all vehicles.
Unlike cars and light goods vehicles, the quarterly data shows more short-term movement. Numbers dropped to 1.36 million in Q4 2024, before rebounding to 1.48 million in Q1 2025, then settling at 1.5 million through Q2 and Q3 2025. Rather than steady growth, this reflects a stable segment with minor fluctuations, staying within a narrow range across the year.[2]
Source: [2]
How has the UK vehicle fleet changed over time?
The number of licensed vehicles in the UK has increased by nearly six million, from 36.5 million in 2014 to 42.4 million in 2025. There’s been an increase every year except for 2020, largely due to the pandemic.
The biggest increase during this period was a one-million increase in 2016, and the smallest was in 2022, yet there was still a steady 0.47 million rise.[2]
Source: [2]
What fuel types do UK cars use?
Petrol and diesel still account for 84.8% of all cars, while electrified vehicles (a combination of both electric and hybrid vehicles) make up the remaining 15.2%, based on cars only. When looking at the full vehicle fleet (including vans, HGVs and other vehicles), electrified vehicles account for a slightly smaller share of 12.9%, as non-car vehicles are more likely to be diesel-powered.
Based on DVLA data for 2025, petrol remains the most common fuel type, accounting for 55% of all cars, followed by diesel at 29.8%. Hybrid vehicles make up 10.4%, while fully electric vehicles account for 4.8%. Other fuel types, such as gas, represent a negligible share of less than 0.1%.
In total, there are 19 million petrol cars, compared to 10.3 million diesel cars, 3.6 million hybrid vehicles, and 1.6 million fully electric vehicles.
While electric and hybrid vehicles combined now make up around one in seven (15.2%) cars, they remain a minority compared to petrol and diesel vehicles.[2]
Source: [2]
Vehicle fuel types over time
While the previous section focused on cars, the figures below reflect the entire UK vehicle fleet, including vans, HGVs, and other vehicle types.
When comparing today’s total for petrol vehicles to ten years ago (2015), it’s not too dissimilar, climbing from 20.2 million to 20.6 million, an increase of 0.4 million (+1.9%). Yet, there’s a clear decline in the share of petrol vehicles within the total fleet, falling from 55.1% in 2015 to 49.5% in 2025.
Petrol wasn’t the only fuel type to decline in terms of the percentage it accounts for, with diesel falling from 44% in 2015 to 37.4% in 2025. Although diesel vehicles also decreased in number, from 16.1 million in 2015 to 15.6 million, this drop in share is largely driven by the introduction and growth of electric and hybrid vehicles across the fleet.
There were 0.2 million (0.7%) hybrid vehicles and fewer than 0.1 million EVs (0.1%) in 2015, both of which have increased significantly over the past ten years, rising to 3.6 million (8.7%) and 1.8 million (4.3%) respectively.[2]
| Year | Petrol | Diesel | Hybrid | EV (battery) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 55.1% | 44% | 0.7% | 0.1% |
| 2016 | 53.7% | 45.2% | 0.9% | 0.1% |
| 2017 | 52.8% | 45.8% | 1.1% | 0.2% |
| 2018 | 52.6% | 45.7% | 1.4% | 0.2% |
| 2019 | 52.8% | 45.1% | 1.7% | 0.3% |
| 2020 | 52.6% | 44.5% | 2.2% | 0.6% |
| 2021 | 52.1% | 43.6% | 3.2% | 1.1% |
| 2022 | 51.7% | 42.3% | 4.2% | 1.8% |
| 2023 | 51.2% | 40.6% | 5.5% | 2.6% |
| 2024 | 50.3% | 39% | 7.2% | 3.5% |
| 2025 | 49.5% | 37.4% | 8.7% | 4.3% |
Source: [2]
**Data was taken from Q4 of each year except for 2025, where the latest data from Q3 was taken.
When will most vehicles on the road be EVs?
When analysing all vehicle data, electrified vehicles are projected to be the largest single fuel type on the roads from 2031 onwards, overtaking any other single fuel type (petrol and diesel individually) before eventually becoming the most dominant vehicle on the road, overtaking petrol and diesel combined in 2034.
When looking at all vehicle numbers, petrol currently accounts for the largest share (49.5%) of any single fuel type, followed by diesel (37.4%), meaning together they make up the majority (86.9%) of vehicles.
However, the balance is shifting with electrified vehicles growing year on year, from less than 1% in 2015 to 12.9% in 2025. Projections suggest this trend will accelerate, with electrified vehicles (hybrid and EVs combined) rising to 37% in 2031, more than petrol (36.9%) and diesel (26.2%), which are expected to decline. In 2034, electrified vehicles are projected to reach 50.5%, meaning that hybrid and EVs combined will outpace petrol and diesel combined.
Source: [2]
By 2045, electrified vehicles are projected to account for 79.8% of all vehicles on UK roads, marking a transition away from petrol and diesel. This growth is driven by both electric vehicles and hybrids, with EVs expected to reach 55.4% of the fleet (27.3 million vehicles), while hybrids account for a further 24.3% (12 million vehicles).
Over the same period, petrol vehicles are projected to decline significantly, falling from 20.6 million (49.5%) in 2025 to 6.1 million (12.4%) by 2045. Diesel follows a similar trend, dropping from 15.6 million (37.4%) to 3.9 million (7.8%), as older vehicles are gradually removed from the fleet and replaced by electrified alternatives.
These projections are based on DVLA licensed vehicle data and a stock-flow model, which accounts for how vehicles enter and leave the fleet over time, including new registrations, vehicle lifespan, and scrappage rates. Figures up to 2025 reflect recorded DVLA vehicle data, while projections from 2026 onwards are based on a stock-flow model of the UK vehicle fleet.[2]
Source: [2]
When will all new vehicles be electric?
The UK’s ZEV mandate requires all new car sales to be zero-emission by 2035, with interim targets rising from 22% in 2024 to 80% by 2030.
Hybrid and electric vehicles now account for 48.4% of new car sales combined, with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) making up 23.4% and hybrids a further 25.0%. However, only BEVs and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles count as zero-emission under the mandate, meaning the BEV share is the relevant measure for compliance.
In 2024, BEVs accounted for 19.6% of new car sales, below the 22% target. Despite this, manufacturers still met their legal obligations. The mandate allows for flexibility through mechanisms such as trading allowances between manufacturers, banking and borrowing credits across years, and other adjustments within the Vehicle Emissions Trading Scheme. As a result, the effective compliance threshold was lower than the headline target, at around 17.3%, while manufacturers achieved a compliance rate of 24.3%.[4]
A similar pattern is seen in 2025. BEVs accounted for 23.4% of new car sales, below the 28% target. However, analysis suggests an effective compliance threshold of around 20.4%, meaning manufacturers were still able to meet requirements despite falling short of the headline figure.
As targets increase further, these flexibility mechanisms are gradually reduced, with requirements rising to 52% in 2028 and 80% by 2030. This narrows the gap between headline targets and actual BEV adoption, making compliance increasingly dependent on sustained growth in electric vehicle demand.[2][5]
Source: [5]
How many new cars are sold in the UK each year?
Around 2 million new cars were sold in the UK in 2025, the highest annual total since 2019 (also around 2 million).
This represents a continued increase in annual car sales, with the 2025 figure up from around 1.95 million in 2024 (+3.5%) [6], bringing new registrations closer to pre-2020 levels, following disruption during the pandemic, including showroom closures and supply chain issues.
Car sales by fuel type
Considering petrol cars make up the largest share of vehicles on the road, it comes as no surprise that they also account for the biggest portion of new car sales, with 937,938 registrations in 2025 (46.4%), down from 52.2% the previous year (–8% year-on-year).
Despite the decline, petrol remains the most commonly sold fuel type, ahead of diesel, which accounts for just 5.1% of new car sales.
Electrified vehicles, however, continue to grow across all categories. Hybrid electric vehicles increased from 13.4% to 13.9%, plug-in hybrids from 8.6% to 11.1%, and battery electric vehicles (BEVs) from 19.6% to 23.4%.
BEVs saw the largest increase in volume, rising from 382,000 to 473,000 registrations, an increase of almost 100,000 vehicles in a single year.
But when combining all hybrid and electric vehicles, they now account for over 48% of all new car sales, meaning electrified vehicles have overtaken petrol as the most common type of new car being registered. Together, they total 978,676 new car sales, showing the clear direction of the UK car market.[6]
The numbers reflect the clear move towards the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate. The UK government has committed to a transition towards zero-emission cars and targets 80% of all car sales to be ZEV by 2030.[6]
Car sales over time
UK car sales have followed a clear cycle over the past two decades, rising steadily in the early 2010s before peaking at 2.69 million in 2016, the highest level in the dataset. This period of growth saw annual sales consistently exceed 2.4 million between 2014 and 2017, reflecting strong consumer demand and favourable economic conditions.
From this peak, sales began to decline gradually, falling to 2.3 million by 2019, marking a shift away from the sustained highs of the mid-2010s. The most significant change came in 2020, when sales dropped sharply to 1.6 million (–29.4%), the lowest point in the series, as the pandemic disrupted both supply and consumer demand. Much of the decline could be down to the showroom closures and reduced consumer demand during the pandemic.[7]
In the years that followed, the market stabilised at a lower level, with sales remaining between 1.6 and 1.9 million from 2021 to 2023, before recovering more strongly in recent years. By 2025, sales reached over 2 million, the highest total since 2019, indicating that the market is moving back towards pre-pandemic levels, although still below the peak seen in 2016.
Overall, the data shows a transition from a high-volume market in the mid-2010s to a more volatile period in the early 2020s, followed by a gradual recovery in recent years.[6]
Source: [6]
Best-selling EVs in the UK
With the increase of EVs in the UK and the goal to eventually reach 100% ZEV, it’s interesting to look at the best-selling models and car manufacturers. Tesla has featured prominently across the rankings for three years.[8]
Best-selling EV models
The Tesla Model Y has held the top position for three consecutive years, with 35,899 registrations in 2023, 32,862 in 2024, and 24,298 in 2025, although volumes have declined as competition in the EV market has increased.[8],[9]
Its continued popularity is driven by a combination of long electric range (up to around 372 miles WLTP), strong efficiency, fast-charging capability, and practical SUV design with seating for up to seven, making it one of the most versatile electric vehicles available to UK buyers.
Across the rankings, several models appear consistently, including the Tesla Model 3, Audi Q4 e-tron, and BMW i4, while newer entrants such as the Kia EV3 and Volvo EX30 reflect a growing range of electric vehicles available to UK buyers.[8]
| Best-selling EV models in 2025 | ||
| Rank | Model | Registrations |
| 1 | Tesla Model Y | 24,298 |
| 2 | Tesla Model 3 | 21,188 |
| 3 | Audi Q4 e-tron | 14,433 |
| 4 | Audi Q6 e-tron | 13,148 |
| 5 | Ford Explorer | 12,237 |
| 6 | BMW i4 | 12,158 |
| 7 | Skoda Enyaq | 11,940 |
| 8 | Volvo EX30 | 10,289 |
Source: [8]
Methodology
Vehicle figures are based on licensed vehicle data published by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), using year-end (Q4) totals for 2014 to 2024 and Q3 2025 as the latest available snapshot, ensuring consistent like-for-like comparisons while reflecting the most recent position.
The dataset measures the total stock of actively licensed vehicles on UK roads, meaning every vehicle in use, rather than new registrations in a given year. Fuel type breakdowns, such as petrol, diesel, hybrid, and battery electric, as well as vehicle type splits including cars, vans, motorcycles, and other vehicles, are sourced from DVLA tables. Car-specific figures are labelled separately where used.
Electrified vehicles are defined as the combined total of battery electric vehicles and hybrid vehicles. New car registration data is also referenced from DVLA releases, alongside UK Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate targets to provide context on how future sales requirements may influence the composition of the vehicle fleet.
Projections from 2026 onwards are based on a stock-flow model, which estimates how the total vehicle fleet evolves by modelling inflows such as new vehicle registrations and outflows such as scrappage and vehicle lifespan. This approach reflects real-world fleet dynamics rather than assuming linear growth, capturing the gradual decline of petrol and diesel vehicles alongside the accelerating adoption of electrified vehicles.
References:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/pathway-for-zero-emission-vehicle-transition-by-2035-becomes-law
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/vehicle-licensing-statistics-data-tables#all-vehicles
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/vehicles-statistics-guidance/vehicle-licensing-statistics-notes-and-definitions
https://www.gridserve.com/electric-vehicle-ev-targets-exceeded-in-first-year-of-zev-mandate/
https://www.evaengland.org.uk/our-work/zev-mandate/
https://www.best-selling-cars.com/britain-uk/2025-full-year-britain-new-car-market-overview-and-analysis/
https://www.smmt.co.uk/uk-automotive-looks-to-green-recovery-strategy-after-29-4-fall-in-new-car-registrations-in-2020/
https://heycar.com/uk/news/electric-cars-statistics-and-projections
https://www.tesla.com/en_gb/modely
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