Commenting on new car sales figures published this morning by the SMMT, RAC director of EVs Sarah Winward-Kotecha said:

“Against a backdrop of generally poor new car sales, September was a milestone month when it came to battery electric models with nearly as many sold in one month as were sold throughout the whole of 2019. Plug-in cars now account for 16% of all new car sales so far this year.

“What’s more, sales of electric cars have eclipsed diesel sales by a huge margin with three battery electric cars sold for every one new diesel car that went onto the road. This now looks like the end of the road for diesel as nearly 67,000 fewer diesel cars were registered this September than was the case in September 2019, representing an astonishing 86% drop in just two years.

“These figures show there’s clear momentum when it comes to electric car adoption in the UK, but had it not been for the chip shortage which is hampering new car production, the numbers may well have been even higher.

“Fortunately, when it comes to EVs there are a variety of ways drivers can now make the switch in a more affordable way, not least through leasing schemes such as those offered by the RAC.”

Discover the UK's road to adopting electric cars in a series of easy-to-read charts