The UK's electric vehicle revolution reached a new milestone in May, with EVs capturing 27.3% of new car registrations and pushing total sales to their highest level since before the pandemic. according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 160,622 new cars were registered—a 7.1% increase year-on-year—and electrified vehicles (EVs and hybrids) drove the entire gain, as petrol and diesel registrations both declined. the surge was fuelled by a wave of affordable Chinese models, which have rapidly reshaped the market in just 24 months.

The 34.2% EV surge that upended petrol and diesel's grip

EV registrations rose 34.2% compared to May 2024, according to the SMMT data, offsetting a 7.1% drop in petrol and a 2.2% fall in diesel sales. Diesel now accounts for fewer than one in 20 new cars—a stunning reversal from its 50% market share a decade ago. Ginny Buckley, CEO of EV website Electrifying.com, told the press the figures 'should finally put to bed the old chestnut that drivers don't want electric cars.' The shift is not just a blip: private buyer EV demand has grown 25.6% in the first five months of 2026 compared to the same period last year, driven by ‘increasingly competitive offers’ and a 6.4% increase in model choice, the SMMT notes .

Chinese brands overtake Ford: MG, BYD, and Chery climb the charts

The biggest market-shift story is the rise of Chinese automakers. In May, Chinese-owned MG sold 7,463 cars, making it the sixth most popular brand and overtaking US giant Ford, whose registrations fell 19% to 6,911 units. Brands like Jaecoo and BYD also outsold Mini, Peugeot, Land Rover, and Volvo,thanks to their competitive plug-in hybrid and pure EV lineups. Chery—a Chinese newcomer that entered the UK just a year ago—even outsold Tesla, which managed only 2,934 registrations. Chery confirmed this week it is in talks with Nissan about producing cars at the Sunderland factory, signalling an escalating Chinese manufacturing footprint on British soil.

Why diesel's decline to under 5% is now irreversible

Diesel's market share has collapsed from 50% in the early 2010s to less than 5% today, and the SMMT data shows no sign of a recovery. The 2.2% monthly drop in diesel sales accompanies a broader structural shift: the average car buyer now has access to cheaper EVs and hybrids from China, while legacy diesel models face ongoing regulatory pressure and declining residual values. With petrol still dominant at over 40% but also shrinking, the internal combustion engine is in retreat. The arrival of mass-market Chinese EVs has effectively taken off the table the assumption that diesel or petrol will remain viable for the average motorist.

What's still unknown: Can UK legacy automakers compete on price?

While the data provides a clear snapshot of the market in motion, several questions remain unanswered. First, how will brands like VW, Audi, and Ford counter the price advantage of Chinese rivals? The SMMT data does not break out profit magins,but the aggressive pricing of models like the MG4 and BYD Dolphin suggests incumbents may have to accept lower margins or accelerate production of their own affordable EVs. Second, what will happen to Tesla's UK sales? Its 2,934 registrations represent a significant decline, but the report does not specify whether this is a temporary blip or a sustained loss of consumer confidene. Finally, the impact of Chinese manufacturing in the UK—through the potential Chery-Nissan deal—could transform supply chains and job markets, but the timeline remains unconfirmed.