New car registrations in the UK increased 6.6% year-on-year to 380,627 in March 2026 – typically the largest sales month of the year – following a 7.2% rise in February, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. This was the strongest March and the best month overall since 2019, driven chiefly by private demand, with retail registrations up 10.1% to 162,470 units.
Fleet registrations rose 3.5% to 208,853 units, while the smaller business segment expanded 18.8% to 9,304 units. March was also the strongest month on record for electric vehicle (EV) registrations, at 196,059 units, highlighting the effect of manufacturers’ investment in road transport decarbonisation.
Battery electric vehicle volumes climbed 24.2% to a new high, but their market share was only 22.6%, well short of the mandated 33% target for the year. At the start of 2026, battery costs were more than 30% higher than anticipated and industrial energy prices were around 80% above 2021 levels, while the cost of public charging had risen by more than 140% compared with five years earlier.
