New car sales in the UK surged to their highest February level in more than two decades, highlighting continued recovery in the automotive market. However, industry figures show the transition to electric vehicles is losing momentum, with the market share of fully electric cars falling for the second consecutive month.
According to data compiled by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), more than 90,000 new vehicles were registered across Britain in February. The figure marks the strongest February performance since 2004, reflecting improved supply chains, pent-up consumer demand and stronger dealer incentives following several years of disruption across the automotive sector.
Despite the broader rebound in vehicle sales, the uptake of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) has shown signs of slowing. A total of 21,840 fully electric cars were registered during the month, representing a modest year-on-year increase of 2.8 per cent, equivalent to just 596 additional vehicles compared with February 2025.
However, because the wider market expanded more quickly than electric sales, the overall share of battery-powered vehicles fell to 24.2 per cent of new registrations, down from 25.3 per cent in the same month last year. The decline marks the second consecutive monthly fall in EV market share and raises questions about the pace of the UK’s transition away from petrol and diesel vehicles.
Industry leaders warn that current adoption rates remain significantly below the trajectory needed to meet the government’s long-term decarbonisation targets for the automotive sector.
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