SMMT says new EV registrations topped 2 million in 2025
The ZEV mandate 2025 target was 28%, but it currently sits at 23.4%
Demand was up 3.5% amid a tough economic climate
The UK is still below the ZEV mandate target, finishing at 23.4% of overall car and van sales
The UK is still behind its electric vehicle (EV) sales target, despite the fact that 2 million new ones were registered last year, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers (SMMT).
In a statement, the SMMT said the UK missed its target of having EVs account for 28% of the new vehicle market, the goal set out in the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate.
The ZEV mandate requires car manufacturers to steadily increase the number of eco-friendly vehicles they sell as a proportion of their overall sales, with the aim of having zero-emission cars and vans making up 100% of all sales by 2035.
Despite 2025 being the best year for EV sales in a decade, the UK is still below the ZEV mandate target, finishing at 23.4% of overall car and van sales.
Mike Hawes, chief executive, SMMT, said that while demand was up 3.5%, EVs aren’t selling fast enough, partly because only a quarter of cars are eligible for the government’s Electric Car Grant.
Hawes added that mixed messaging with the proposed eVED tax and higher public charging costs risks confusing the public and wasting investment and urged ministers to step up its support for the shift towards electric driving.
He said that the government must consider “unique challenges” in the new van market, which declined 10.3% in 2025 amid a challenging economic environment for fleet renewal.
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“While EV uptake rose significantly by 36.2%, it remains well below the 16% mandated last year, despite industry’s best efforts,” Hawes said.
“Decarbonisation may be a priority for industry, but road safety remains paramount, with manufacturers investing to develop new, innovative technology solutions for accident prevention and road user protection,” Hawes said.
“This government’s new Road Safety Strategy announced this week was also welcome as it will help reduce casualties further, and we look forward to working with government and stakeholders to ensure Britain’s roads remain among the safest in the world.”
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Tamara BirchNewsletters and sponsored content editor
Tamara is a journalist with more than six years experience writing about environmental topics. This includes advising small businesses on cost-effective ways tom become more sustainable, from installing to solar panels and heat pumps and reducing waste. She has used her journalist and research skills to become highly knowledgeable on sustainable initiatives, issues, and solutions to help consumers do their bit for the environment – all while reducing monthly costs. Now, she’s using this experience to advise homeowners on the benefits of installing low-carbon technologies. She is also qualified in offering innovative initiatives to improve sustainability practices in businesses, from advertising to marketing and publishing.
Her passion for sustainability and eco-friendly solutions stems from a long obsession with nature and animals and ensuring they feel looked after. In her free time, Tamara enjoys reading fantasy novels, visiting the gym, and going on long walks in new areas.
Max joined The Eco Experts as content manager in February 2024 and became deputy editor in 2025. He has written about sustainability issues across numerous industries, including maritime, supply chain, finance, mining, and retail. He has also written extensively for consumer titles like City AM, The Morning Star, and The Daily Express.
In 2020, he covered in detail the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) legislation on sulphur emissions and its effects on the global container shipping market as online editor of Port Technology International.
He also explored the initiatives major container ports and terminals have launched in order to ship vital goods across the world without polluting the environment.
Since then, he has reported heavily on the impact made by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices on the supply chain of minerals, with a particular focus on rare earth mining in Africa.
As part of this, in 2022 Max visited mines and ports in Angola to hone in on the challenges being faced by one of the world’s biggest producers of rare earth minerals.
His most recent sustainability-related work came much closer to home, as he investigated the eco-challenges faced by independent retailers in the UK, specifically looking at how they can cut emissions and continue to thrive.
Max lives in South London and is an avid reader of books on modern history and ghost stories. He has also recently learned to play the game Mahjong and takes every opportunity to do so. He is also yet to find a sport he doesn’t enjoy watching.
