Registrations for new electric vehicles in the UK rose in January but their market share remained short of the 28 per cent mandate for the year, industry data showed.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reported that volumes of battery electric vehicles (BEV) rose by 41.6 per cent year-on-year to rise to a 23.7 per cent market share.

“Affordability remains a major barrier to uptake, hence the need for compelling measures to boost demand, and not just from manufacturers,” said SMMT Chief Mike Hawes, as the industry called for a halt on EV taxes to encourage more people to buy the low-emission vehicles.

The disparity between demand for EVs and regulated targets have highlighted a need for revision to current incentives, as the latest market outlook sees the gap between BEV share and widening further in 2026, when BEVs are expected to comprise 28.3 per cent against a target of 33 per cent.

Overall, new car registrations dropped for the fourth consecutive month in January to decline 2.5 per cent to 139,345 units, as demand from both fleet and private buyers slowed down in a weak economy.