Electric · Wales
UK new-car registrations rose 11.7% in July, SMMT says
SMMT says battery-electric cars took a 27.5% share of the UK new-car market in July, while its latest full-year outlook remains below the 2026 mandate target.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) says 156,571 new cars were registered in the UK in July, 11.7% more than in the same month of 2025.
SMMT says battery-electric vehicle registrations rose 44.5% to 43,106 and represented 27.5% of the month’s market. Plug-in hybrid registrations rose 33.6% and hybrids rose 11.6%, the trade body says.
In its latest industry outlook, SMMT expects 2.18 million new-car registrations in 2026, with battery-electric cars making up 27.4% of the market. That forecast remains below the 33% mandate target cited by SMMT.
The body attributes the July result in part to model choice, discounting and government incentives, and says the figures were compared with a relatively weak July 2025. Its forecasts and assessment of the mandate are SMMT’s position, rather than an independent verification of future demand.
What this means for Wales
The figures cover the UK rather than Wales alone, but they provide context for Welsh car buyers and retailers considering the pace of the electric-car market. SMMT does not provide Wales-specific registration totals in this release, and its outlook remains a forecast.
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