New and Used Vehicle Sales Trends and EV Trends

Based on new vehicle registration figures over time, we can expect a continuation of the move away from petrol and diesel power and increased market share for electric vehicles, driven by regulation, the need for the decarbonisation of road transport, and to deliver to net zero targets. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are set to sustain their growth in market share.

Used car sales are expected to follow a similar pattern as more EVs enter the second-hand market. You can examine how these trends are currently progressing by accessing our vehicle data pages. 

Globally, predicts that there will be 85 million electrified vehicles on the world’s roads by the end of 2025 and 73 percent of them will be Battery Electric Vehicles.

Overall, the research company expects 33 percent growth in the market share of EVs. This figure includes countries that are not committed to decarbonisation, so it is believed that growth in the UK and EU will exceed this figure. 

Sustainability Trends in the Automotive Industry

The automotive industry will continue to advance sustainability. Carbon neutral manufacturing plants are, manufacturers believe, an achievable goal, and several brands have committed to reaching it. 

Vehicle Manufacturing Trends

With a quest for greater supply chain resilience as its primary driver, vertical integration strategies will continue to gain traction. Manufacturers are increasingly reluctant to face the risks that go with reliance on companies they do not control in the provision of vital components. When EV sales and market share were still relatively low, relying on external suppliers presented minimal overall risk. However, this is no longer the case, and “insourcing” is increasingly prevalent. 

Automotive Parts Industry Trends

With a quest for greater supply chain resilience as its primary driver, vertical integration strategies will continue to gain traction. Manufacturers are increasingly reluctant to face the risks that go with reliance on companies they do not control in the provision of vital components. When EV sales and market share were still relatively low, relying on external suppliers presented minimal overall risk. However, this is no longer the case, and “insourcing” is increasingly prevalent. 

Technology Trends in the Automotive Industry

Self Driving

The UK government has begun preparing for a transition with the being passed in 2024. This may pave the way for commercial rollout of automated driving as early as 2026.  The UK has firm foundations, thanks to government and industry jointly investing more than £600 million in self-driving vehicle trials since 2015.

Safety Advances

The UK has some of the world’s safest roads thanks to continued investment and innovation. With research showing that connected and automated vehicles will transform the lives of six out of every 10 people in the UK.

All new cars must as a minimum include:

• Electronic stability control
• Advanced emergency braking systems
• Lane departure warning systems
• Pedestrian protection improvements

Manufacturers also provide a variety of other technologies above and beyond the regulation to maximise safety, which is supported by consumer information programmes such as EuroNCAP. Technologies can include:

• Intelligent speed assistance
• Blind spot information systems
• Reversing safety systems
• Emergency lane keeping systems
• Brake assist systems
• Driver drowsiness warning systems
• Advanced driver distraction warning
• Event data recorders

Lots of work has also gone into developments in structural integrity and impact testing, plus improvements to occupant safety such as seating systems to mitigate whiplash, child restraints, Isofix for child seats etc.

Digital Connection

Cars will become more connected than ever before, exchanging information with other cars, traffic control authorities and even insurance providers. This will also impact the way cars are maintained. 

Sharing

Ride hailing, currently dominated by companies such as Uber and FreeNow, may become holistic, with unified platforms allowing people to search for buses, taxis, and shared cars. Basing its model on a “robotaxi” scenario gaining traction, that individual car ownership figures may fall, but that sales will continue to grow as vehicles used for shared rides will cover greater mileage and will need replacement far sooner. 

Keep up with the pace of change

The automotive industry is one defined by rapid technological development and continuous innovation. ���������� provides companies in the automotive with a vital voice, backed by powerful data and key opportunities to promote their expertise around the world – join us to remain at the forefront of Britain’s dynamic vehicle industry. 

���������� is the primary source of UK automotive industry intelligence and insight, and our unrivalled vehicle data is uniquely placed to help companies stay one step ahead of the competition in their business planning and forecasting. For detailed vehicle data, new car sales statistics, and UK car registration figures by manufacturer, please visit the .

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How long does it take to charge an electric car?

It’s a question that many motorists will ask, and the answer depends on several factors. The size of the battery, the amount of charge it has when plugged in, the speed of the charging station and ambient temperature are examples of things that may affect charging time. 

Typically a home charger with a Type 2 Mode 3 outlet will take between four and 10 hours to charge an EV battery. Using DC rapid/ultra-rapid chargers, often seen at public charging stations and motorway service areas, you can expect to reach 80 percent charge in 20 to 60 minutes. After the 80 percent mark, charging slows down to protect the battery. Some DC rapid/ultra-rapid chargers can deliver enough charge for 200 miles of driving in just 15 to 30 minutes. 

What are the different types of EV chargers?

Rapid charger

Rapid chargers deliver a maximum output of 50 kW, while the power delivered at ultra-rapid chargers is typically above 50kW and, at present, could reach a maximum of 360kW. These can charge EV batteries within 20 to 60 minutes. They’re typically found at public charging stations and motorway service areas, and will safeguard battery life by slowing charging once the battery reaches 80 percent. 

Fast charger

Delivering 7 to 22 kW, fast chargers usually take between four to eight hours to charge an EV battery. These chargers are the ones you’ll use for charging your EV at home or work. You’ll also find them at certain supermarkets, public car parks and other destinations. There is also a range of for you to use. 

Slow Charger

With a power output of just 2-3kW, these chargers work from standard domestic power outlets. They’re only suitable for people who don’t drive very much or as a backup charging option. It can take from 12 to 40 hours or sometimes more to achieve a full charge. 

Electric car charging cables 

Mode 1 and 2 charging cables

Mode 1 charging cables are only suitable for very light vehicles like e-bikes or scooters. To charge cars, you’d need at least a Mode 2 charging cable. You’ll usually get this with your EV and they’re plugged into ordinary plug sockets. Charging is very slow and you’d only use this type of cable if no other option is available. 

Mode 3 charging cables

Mode 3 AC charging cables are the most common type of electric car charging cables in use. They connect the EV to a specialised EV charging station at home, at the office or in parking lots. 

Mode 4 charging cables

These cables support fast charging (DC charging). The cables are permanently connected to the charging station and have safety features that help them rapidly transfer power without overheating. You’ll find these at motorway service areas with fast charging stations. 

EV range and charging

Electric car “range anxiety” need no longer be a concern. EV battery technology has advanced, with modern electric cars easily achieving ranges of 150 to 300 miles on a single charge. Rollout of EV charging infrastructure is ongoing, currently, the is just 3.8 miles.

Putting this in perspective, a slow charger you would ordinarily only use in emergencies will give you up to 15 miles of range within an hour. A fast charger delivers about 30 miles of range per hour and rapid chargers deliver up to 90 miles of range in just 30 minutes. 

Charging on the public network

There are several ways to charge EVs using the rapidly-expanding public network. 

On-street residential EV charging is intended for people who are unable to utilise off-street parking and need to charge their cars at home. They typically have an output of between 3 and 7 kW making them suitable for overnight charging. 

Destination charging is perfect for drivers who may wish to top up their charge whilst busy doing something else i.e. shopping. They’re usually AC chargers delivering 7 to 22 kW, but you may encounter faster chargers too. 

Rapid/ultra-rapid en-route charging are for longer journeys, these can be found at service stations or purpose-built charging hubs. With an output of 50-350 kW, they offer the fastest charging option for EVs. 

Charging an EV at home or at work

For day-to-day use, charging EVs while they are parked at home or at the workplace are convenient options. There are to install charge points at home alongside a which offers funding to employers for EV charging facilities. 

If you charge your EV at home, the electricity you use is paid as part of your regular electricity bill. Employers can decide on a policy for EV charging, offering it as a taxable employee benefit or billing employees on a pay-as-you-go basis. 

New technologies and innovations

There may soon be even more types of electric vehicle charging stations available. For example, wireless charging of parked cars is already possible and trials which see EVs wirelessly charge as they drive on special road surfaces are underway in Europe. Meanwhile, new battery technologies promising greater range and faster charging are currently in development. 

With multiple innovations and inventions in the pipeline, it’s clear that EV-related technologies will continue to develop as the world moves towards decarbonisation. In the UK, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (����������) will evolve alongside the transition, keeping our members informed and representing the UK automotive industry’s interests at home and abroad.

We offer membership to those directly engaged in the auto industry and interested parties can apply for affiliate or associate memberships. 

For the latest UK electric vehicle registration data, including new electric car registration statistics and electric vehicle sales figures, 

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Current UK incentives for electric vehicles

Plug-in vehicle grants

Dealerships and manufacturers collaborate to help buyers take advantage of the grants still available for low emission vehicles. The buyer need not apply. Instead, the dealership discounts the purchase price, and the grant amount is refunded by the government. 

The Plug-in Car Grant was discontinued in 2022 but some still apply to the following vehicles:

• Wheelchair accessible vehicles: £2,500 available (price cap for eligible vehicles is £50,000) with 200 grants available per full year. Available until 31 March 2026.
• Motorcycles: The plug-in motorcycle grant continue until at least April 2025 for L3 motorcycles only.
• Vans: Plug in Van Grant (PiVG) available until 31 March 2026, this offers £2,500 for vans up to 2.5 tonnes and £5,000 for vans from 2.5 tonnes to 4.25 tonnes.
• Trucks: The maximum discount available for some small trucks (4.25 to 12 tonnes) is £16,000
• Taxis: Plug in Taxi Grant is available until 31 March 2026 (or when funds are exhausted) and will offer £4,000.

These grants are particularly helpful in providing business incentives for the transition to electric vehicles. 

Charge point grants

The subsidises the cost of electric vehicle charge points at workplaces. Each applicant is eligible for a 75 percent subsidy with a cap of £350 per chargepoint. A business entity may receive this incentive for the installation of a maximum of 40 sockets. 

are eligible for a similar grant provided they own an eligible vehicle and have private, off-street parking. 

Congestion Charge and Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) benefits

Currently, owners of electric vehicles can apply for exemption from congestion and ULEZ charges. However, London will be discontinuing congestion charge benefits for electric vehicles from December 2025 and other cities may follow suit. ULEZ will be unaffected. 

Together with grants for electric trucks and vans, ULEZ benefits are the primary company incentives for electric vehicle adoption. If introducing congestion zone charges for electric vehicles in London goes ahead and other cities follow suit, there will be an additional cost burden for companies using zero emissions vehicles in major central business districts.

The LEVI Fund

Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding is available to local authorities that wish to install on-street charging infrastructure in areas where residents do not have access to off-street parking. To receive funding, they must first undertake an. 

Company car tax

When employees have a company car that they can use in their private capacity as well as for work purposes, the benefit is subject to taxation. The taxation is based on the value of the car. However, if it is an electric vehicle, the.

Auto Industry Calls For More Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Incentives 

The UK government hopes to speed the transition to emission free vehicles by setting sales targets for auto manufacturers. However, manufacturers are struggling to meet these targets despite their massive investment delivering a huge choice of electric vehicles to market – and then subsidising their sale through discounting. 

The reason for this is straightforward. The automotive industry cannot force consumers to buy zero emission vehicles, which because of their higher production costs, are naturally more expensive than petrol or diesel vehicles.

Without significant government incentives for electric vehicles, many buyers will still choose vehicles with internal combustion engines. The message is clear: to achieve its aims, government must collaborate with the automotive industry – and provide consumers with the financial encouragement to switch.

Reduced VAT on ZEV purchases and public charging likely to stimulate market

Market modelling indicates that reducing VAT on new ZEV purchases over a period of three years would increase the number of emissions free vehicle registrations to more than 2 million by 2028. In addition, the high rate of 20% VAT on public charging should be reduced to align with the 5% VAT levied on home charging. The present state of the auto market can be assessed using our Electric Vehicles Data Page. 

Joining the ����������: benefits for industry players

Interested parties who are active in the UK automotive industry are invited to join the ����������, adding to our influence as industry representatives. Associate and Affiliate memberships are also available. In addition to representation, members benefit from industry-critical members-only data as well as opportunities to interact, learn, network, and collaborate at our motor industry events.

For the latest UK electric vehicle registration data, including new electric car registration statistics and electric vehicle sales figures,

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Are EV Batteries Recyclable?

Recycling EV batteries certainly is possible, but it is labour intensive and it requires considerable skill to disassemble them.

In addition, recyclers themselves are faced with the question of just how much to recycle, and how cost-effective the most comprehensive forms of battery recycling may be. For example, while nickel and cobalt are valuable and will be well-worth recovering, additional materials like copper, aluminium and plastics may be less commercially viable. 

As ever-growing numbers of batteries are recycled, it will be necessary to expand capacity and realise greater efficiency. This article provides an overview of current methods, promising new technologies, and the challenges to which the automotive industry must rise by 2030.  

Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling Processes

Currently, there are two ways to recycle EV batteries. In a pyrometallurgical process, the batteries are broken up into small pieces and incinerated. The resulting “black mass” containing valuable minerals is then further processed to extract valuable elements. A hydrometallurgical process uses acid to dissolve materials into a liquid state. Thereafter, elements can be extracted. Both recycling methods must be closely controlled to limit risks to employees and prevent environmental harm.  

Researchers are working on improving such processes. For example, in a hydrometallurgical process allows for efficient recovery of lithium and aluminium and minimises loss of cobalt, manganese and nickel. would be to create a water-based solution containing oil. Under a specific set of conditions, molecules can be drawn out of the solution. The use of a appears to be particularly promising. A current is passed through battery waste, rapidly heating it to 2,500 degrees. Thereafter, a metal recovery yield of 98 percent is possible. 

The labour-intensive process involved in EV battery disassembly is being tackled using. However, there are challenges to overcome: in particular, a lack of standardisation. EV batteries from various producers differ in their chemistry, size, and form and safety is an important concern. 

Reuse of EV Batteries

Most EV batteries can be repurposed. When an electric vehicle’s battery is replaced, it is far from exhausted. Often, used EV batteries retain 70 to 80 percent of their capacity. These batteries may not be suitable for EVs, but they can be used in Battery Energy Storage Systems. 

For example, energy storage is one of the challenges faced in clean energy generation such as solar and wind power. Because sun and wind conditions vary, too much energy may be produced at times, while at others, too little is produced. Battery Energy Storage Systems can store surplus energy, making it available when energy generation conditions fail to meet demand.

Electric Vehicle Battery Recycling Market: 2030 and Beyond

As ever more electric vehicle batteries reach the end of their useful lives, efficient, safe recycling processes will become ever-more important. It’s estimated that by 2030, the UK alone will have 28,000 tonnes of batteries requiring recycling. By 2040, that volume will rise to 235,000 tonnes. 

Vast amounts of valuable minerals will be awaiting recovery, and the batteries themselves will present an environmental risk if they are simply discarded. Recycling EV batteries is already a highly-specialised field with few companies having the necessary expertise to undertake the process safely. 

To meet future demand, it will be necessary to build capacity and implement new technologies effectively. UK battery recycling companies are watching recent developments in EV battery recycling with interest.

There are already significant regulatory battery recycling and recycled content requirements coming from the EU, a road down which the UK is likely to follow shortly:

• By 2026 – Recycling target of 65% weight lithium-ion batteries, 75% lead-acid batteries
• By 2031 – Recycling target of 70% weight lithium-ion batteries, 80% lead-acid batteries
• By 2028 – Recovery target of 50% lithium, 90% cobalt, copper, nickel, lead By 2032 – Recovery target of 80% lithium, 95% cobalt, copper, nickel, lead
• By Aug 2031 – Minimum recycled content requirement for 16% cobalt, 85% lead, 6% lithium, 6% nickel from non-virgin sources
•  By 2036 – Minimum recycled content requirement for 26% cobalt, 85% lead, 12% lithium, 15% nickel from non-virgin sources.

����������: Representing the Auto Industry From Manufacturing to Recycling

���������� unifies industry voices, representing member interests at the highest levels of government. We encourage all companies with an interest in the UK’s transition to emission-free vehicles to become members. Along with advocacy, you will enjoy inside access to data and reports to guide your business strategies through the EV transition. Join us today as we work toward a better tomorrow.

For the latest UK electric vehicle registration data, including new electric car registration statistics and electric vehicle sales figures,

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