- London sees slowest annual growth, of any region, in EV
registrations, up 53%, despite ULEZ expansion
- North West sees biggest growth in EV ownership, up 75% over
the past 12 months
The rate of growth in electric vehicle ownership has fallen for
the fourth consecutive quarter as the cost
of living and higher electricity costs has taken its toll,
according to official DoT data analysed by car leasing comparison
website LeaseLoco.
The latest Department of Transport (DoT) and DVLA (Driver and
Vehicle Licensing Agency) electric vehicle registration figures
published this week, reveal that private BEV (battery electric
vehicle) registrations across the UK increased just
9.8% between Q2 2022 and Q3 2022.
This compares to an 11.6% increase in EV
registrations between Q1 2022 and Q2 2022, and a
15.5% increase between Q4 2021 and Q1 2022.
Looking at the comparable period in 2021, electric vehicle
registrations increased by 18.8% between Q2
2021 and Q3 2021, almost twice the rate of growth (9.8%) seen
between Q2 2022 and Q3 2022.
The latest figures also reveal that despite London Mayor announcing earlier in the year
that he was planning to expand the ULEZ zone, London has still
seen the slowest uptake of electric vehicles of any UK region
over the past 12 months.
EV ownership across the capital increased by
53%, between Q3 2021 and Q3 2022, from
23,353 to 35,626 BEVs. The next lowest growth in
electric car registrations was in the South West, where EV
ownership increased 59% over the past 12 months.
The North West has seen the fastest growth in electric vehicle
ownership of any region in the UK over the past year, with EV
registrations up 75%, from 11,454 EVs registered
in Q3 2021, to 20,092 in Q2 2022. EV registrations over the past
year are up 71% in Wales and
68% in Scotland.
Table: UK regions ranked in order of biggest growth in BEV
registrations (private), Q3 2022 vs Q3 2021
|
Region
|
Number of private BEVs registered
-
Q3 2021
|
Number of private BEVs registered
-
Q3 2022
|
% Increase in BEVs
|
|
North West
|
11,454
|
20,092
|
75%
|
|
East Midlands
|
9,300
|
16,092
|
73%
|
|
Yorkshire & the Humber
|
8,532
|
14,651
|
72%
|
|
North East
|
3,989
|
6,855
|
72%
|
|
Northern Ireland
|
1,883
|
3,240
|
72%
|
|
Wales
|
4,716
|
8,087
|
71%
|
|
East
|
16,066
|
27,216
|
69%
|
|
West Midlands
|
10,042
|
16,960
|
69%
|
|
Scotland
|
12,124
|
20,426
|
68%
|
|
South East
|
29,129
|
48,501
|
67%
|
|
South West
|
15,755
|
25,117
|
59%
|
|
London
|
23,353
|
35,626
|
53%
|
John Wilmot, CEO of car leasing comparison
website LeaseLoco
comments:
“These latest figures from the DoT show the impact that the cost
of living crisis is having on electric vehicle registrations.
Although demand is there, and sales of electric cars are growing,
the rate of growth has slowed noticeably as the higher cost of
electricity means more car owners are likely making the decision
to delay switching to electric.
“The Government has set itself ambitious “Road to Zero” targets
and can’t afford a prolonged downward trend in the rate of EV
uptake. The spanner in the works could be the end of the energy
price guarantee in April 2023. This is hardly an incentive for
car owners to switch to electric in the coming months, knowing
that home charging costs could spiral.”
-- ENDS --
Notes to Editors
*LeaseLoco analysed the
latest Department of Transport and DVLA (Driver and Vehicle
Licensing Agency) data on battery electric vehicles (BEVs),
published on 13th December 2022.
https://www.gov.uk/government/statistical-data-sets/vehicle-licensing-statistics-data-tables
