EVs just had their best-ever month in the UK thanks to the fuel crisis — with one Chinese brand winning big

Battery Electric Vehicle segment reached a record high last month

08 Apr 2026, 16:13 by https://www.techradar.com/uk/author/leon-poultney · TechRadar

News By Leon Poultney published 8 April 2026

(Image credit: Jaecoo)

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The UK’s new car market grew by 6.6% in March
Battery Electric Vehicles were a big contributing factor
The Jaecoo 7 becomes the UK's best-selling car

March has historically been a busy month for new car registrations, as the arrival of a new registration plate encourages customers to splash out on a fresh set of wheels.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the UK’s new car market grew by 6.6% in March — the best month for registrations overall since 2019.

But while the sale of both diesel and petrol-engined cars was down by 6.1% and 11.4% respectively, pure battery electric vehicles experienced a record-breaking increase of 24.2% for the month compared to the same period last year.

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While many industry experts acknowledge the fact that March is always busy for new car purchases, a number believe that EVs have proven particularly popular due to both shifting attitudes towards the technology and the rising cost of fuel.

“That’s likely driving more interest in electric vehicles, as buyers look to protect themselves from fluctuating fuel prices,” explains James Hosking, Managing Director of AA Cars.

Hosking also says that cost of ownership is now “front of mind for buyers across both new and used markets”, with motorists weighing running costs just as carefully as headline price.

“We’re already seeing that reflected in our latest Used Car Index, with EV searches up by more than a quarter in early March. The question now is whether that shift continues if fuel prices remain unpredictable,” he added.

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