Ben Nelmes, CEO of New AutoMotive, said the company’s data, showing one in four new cars sold in the UK last month was electric, “proves the ZEV mandate is working."
December 4, 2025
November was the second-best month for UK electric car market share in 2025, according to monthly figures from New AutoMotive.
Battery EVs (BEVs) accounted for 25.4% of the new car market last month, as plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) took a third of the market and the percentage of petrol and diesel vehicles declined. In November, 38,742 BEVs were sold, which does reflect a minor drop (1.1%) on the month before.
Sales of electric vans were up 24.5% on the previous month, hitting 2,914 and a accounting for a 12.5% market share, the greatest taken by the segment in any November recorded by New AutoMotive. 
BEV sales have been in line with the government’s zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, if the flexibilities written into the legislation are accounted for, since August, New AutoMotive said. November was the first month that van sales also hit target.
According to Ben Nelmes, CEO of New AutoMotive, the company’s data, showing one in four new cars sold in the UK last month was electric, “proves the ZEV mandate is working: manufacturer credits effectively doubled last month alone. Manufacturers are comfortably on course to comply with the targets in 2025”.
Carmakers generate ‘credits’ by exceeding CO2 emissions targets on their internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicle sales that count towards the headline EV sales targets set by government.
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CEO of chargepoint operator (CPO) InstaVolt Delvin Lane commented: “With both the car and van markets on track to meet their 2025 ZEV Mandate targets, now is the moment for the government to lock in that confidence. If the UK wants this progress to continue, it must maintain clear direction and long-term commitment to the transition.”
This was likely in reference to last week’s government announcement that it will implement a 3p/mile road tax supplement on EVs from April 2028, a move that many in the EV industry have criticised.
Picking up on this explicitly, Toby Poston, chief executive of UK trade body for companies engaged in vehicle rental, leasing and fleet management BVLRA said: “Last week's confirmation of a pay-per-mile regime for electric cars is the wrong policy at the wrong time. It risks completely undermining the confidence that has been built, particularly for operators making long-term investment decisions.”
New AutoMotive also highlighted figures showing that German-headquartered manufacturers are experiencing strong EV sales in the UK’s policy environment. However, in Brussels, the same brands are currently lobbying the European Commission to weaken emissions rules and allow the sale of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles beyond 2035.
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Molly Green
Senior Reporter, Informa
Molly joined the team in 2024 and has led coverage on the UK sites. Now shifting to a more global view, Molly is interested in how legislation shapes market dynamics, covering the intersection of policy design, investment patterns, and energy transition pathways.
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