Electric cars are about to overtake petrol in the UK, data shows

Battery-electric cars captured 32% of UK new car sales in October 2026, nearly matching petrol's 37.2% share, marking the closest these two powertrains have ever been. At the current pace, electric vehicles could overtake petrol as the UK's most popular new car type as soon as December 2026 or within a year. The shift represents a dramatic reversal from 2021, when combustion-engine cars made up 72.5% of the market compared to battery-electric's current 26.6% year-to-date share.