Welcome to the latest edition of The Road to Zero Report

The BVRLA’s Road to Zero Report is an annual assessment of the UK’s progress towards zero-emission road transport. Launched in 2019, it provides an overall ranking of progress before taking a deeper look at the respective performance of ZEV demand, infrastructure and supply.

Report produced in association with

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DEMAND
Infrastructure
Supply

Cars | Vans | Trucks

How are they faring?

Cars

Where incentives are in place, particularly salary sacrifice and company car schemes, leasing continues to deliver strong growth in battery electric cars. Customer demand for renting EVs remains very low. The recent war related increase in petrol and diesel prices has pushed more drivers to look at used EVs, but this may be short lived if fuel prices fall back. Fuel and electricity prices have both risen, yet drivers who can consistently charge at home still retain a clear cost advantage.​

Vans

Demand for electric vans continues to lag far behind the levels required to meet the ZEV Mandate. For most operators, electric vans still do not make clear economic sense, with higher upfront costs and uncertain residual values undermining confidence. Questions over vehicle suitability add further doubt about whether current products can meet day to day operational needs. Infrastructure challenges add more cost and risk, including limited suitable van friendly public charging, few pre bookable slots, patchy payment options and lost productivity while vehicles are charging.

Trucks

The market is moving off the starting blocks. The £200 million Innovate UK Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstration (ZEHID) programme is putting some trial zero emission HGVs on the road. High vehicle costs, uncertain residual values, depot infrastructure, grid connections and limited public truck ready charging remain major constraints. Many operators remain cautious about truck decarbonisation and are waiting to see how the government’s HGV CO2 emissions regulatory framework will shape the future pathway.

DEMAND
Infrastructure
Supply

Key Themes

Demand

Business car leasing remains the main driver of battery electric vehicle uptake, with salary sacrifice and company car schemes continuing to perform strongly. ​

Personal leasing demand for EVs has remained steady, supported by competitive offers from leasing providers. In contrast, demand for rental EVs and electric vans remains limited beyond a small number of large corporate clients with clear decarbonisation objectives. ​

Van demand continues to lag the ZEV mandate targets. ​

Rising fuel and energy prices are also widening the divide between customers who can rely on lower cost home charging and those who must depend on more expensive and less convenient public infrastructure.

KPI's for Demand

The key performance indicators used to track demand levels

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Rental Customer Demand

2026: Parked
2025: Parked
2024: Parked

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ZEV utilisation in rental fleet

ZEV utilisation relative to the overall rental fleet has increased for cars (77%) but decreased for vans (71%) compared to 2025 and remains lower than the total utilisation rate of 85% for both cars and vans. [BVRLA]

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Business Leasing Demand

2026: Cruising
2025: Cruising
2024: Accelerating

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Percentage of ZEVs in leased fleet

 

The overall ZEV share in business leasing fleet has grown from 40% in 2025 to 47% in 2026, driven by new additions in company cars (58%) and salary sacrifice (88%). [BVRLA]​​

This remains far ahead of the UK wide ZEV uptake of 26.2% [SMMT]​

Percentage of ZEV vans in leased fleet – EV vans had a 10.7% share in Q4 2025, rising from 6.6% in Q4 2024. [BVRLA]​

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Personal Leasing Demand

2026: Brakes on
2025: Cruising
2024: Brakes on

 

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Percentage of ZEVs in leased fleet 

Personal leasing demand for ZEVs has seen a small reduction to 26% of new registrations from 28% – this is partly driven by a large growth in demand for PHEVs, with leasing companies.

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Cost of Ownership

2026: Brakes on
2025: Brakes on
2024: Brakes on

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Cost of fuel and energy​ (public) 

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Cost of fuel and energy​ (home)

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Cost of vehicle

Cost of fuel and energy​ (public) –The cost per litre equivalent of charging an EV is 154p/litre at a public slow/fast chargepoint, slightly below the June 2026 cost of 158p/litre for a petrol car. Charging at a public rapid/ultra-rapid chargepoint remains significantly more expensive at 219p/litre [Zapmap]

Cost of fuel and energy​ (home) – The cost per litre equivalent of charging an EV is 79p/litre for home charging according to the domestic price cap, and 25p/litre during off-peak charging. This is significantly cheaper than the cost per litre of 158p/litre for a petrol car in June 2026. [Zapmap]

Cost of vehicle – The median price of new EV cars decreased from £49,504 in 2025 to £48,228 in 2026 (January to May), with the premium over an ICE car falling from 30% to 21%. The median price of new EV vans increased from £55,431 in 2025 to £56,277 in 2026. Comparing similar models of van indicates EVs are around 27% more expensive than ICE. [Autotrader, WSP analysis]

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Used ZEV Market

2026: Parked
2025: Parked
2024: Parked

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Supply vs Demand RV impact

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Demand vs supply of used BEVs

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Used BEV sell times

Supply vs Demand RV impact– EVs (-1.2%) have depreciated greater than ICE (-0.1%) month over month in 2026. In cumulative terms, EV values have fallen by 11.2% in the last 12 months compared 3.4% for diesel and 3.1% for petrol. [Cap-HPI]

Demand vs Supply of Used BEVs –The stock of used EVs available on the market has declined for the first time (-3%) on a year-on-year basis between April 2025 and 2026, as stronger demand outpaced supply. EV demand has grown 59% year-on-year, this is partly driven by rising fuel prices due to conflict in the Middle East and could prove to be temporary. [Autotrader]

Used BEV Sell Times – EVs are back to being the fastest selling vehicles, a reversal from the first half of 2025. The average time to sell an EV car has decreased to just 24 days in May 2026, outperforming both petrol (29) and diesel (32). The average time to sell an EV van was 31 days in May, and while slower, they are also outperforming petrol (40) and diesel (40) counterparts [Autotrader]​

Did you know?

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Rental Demand – Utilisation

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Business Leasing Demand[]@2x-100

Business Leasing Demand

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Cost of
vehicle

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Demand v supply of used ZEVs

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Key Insights

Demand

£48,228

Median price of new ZEV car

£56,277

Median price of new ZEV van

  • Despite improvement for EV car utilisation, and the number of EVs on rental fleets continuing to increase, EV utilisation for cars and vans remains lower than ICE due to limited demand from customers in 2026. ​
  • Demand for rental EVs is driven by business customers, accounting for 67% of car rental and 84% of LCV rental, with corporate net-zero and ESG commitments the most likely route to scale [BVRLA]. Successes so far remain concentrated there and among renters already accustomed to EVs, often using a rental as an insurance replacement.​
  • Exposure is the main lever for demand, with nearly two thirds of renters who try an EV reporting a positive experience. ​
  • Demand for rental e-vans remains a challenge, with vehicle suitability and infrastructure being significant factors. ​
  • Without a global desire for EVs, demand in rentals will remain constrained. Adopting EVs ahead of customer demand is not viable and risks damaging the services the rental sector can provide.​

Business leasing​

  • Business leasing demand continues to see good growth (40% ZEV share in business leasing) with demand being driven by effective incentives and continued growth in BEV adoption amongst company car (58%) and salary sacrifice schemes (88%) [BVRLA].​
  • Business Contract Hire (BCH), the largest leasing product, also contributed to this trend, with the market share of electric vehicles increasing from 44% in 2025 to 48% in 2026, and the share of new registrations increasing from 54% to 58%.​
  • Battery electric vans reached a 9.8% market share in May 2026, up from 7.6% in May 2025 [SMMT], which is reflected in BVRLA business leasing figures showing a rise from 6.6% in Q4 2024, to 10.7% in Q4 2025. Year to date BEV vans stand at 9.4% of LCV registrations, against 8.3% over the same period in 2025 [SMMT]. Total LCV registrations remain subdued, down 1.6% year to date and forecast to fall 0.5% across 2026, following a 10.3% decline in 2025 [SMMT]. Continued weak demand is attributed to higher upfront cost, rising energy prices and infrastructure constraints, alongside persistent concerns over vehicle suitability that prevent electric vans meeting the operational needs of many businesses [BVRLA].​

Personal leasing​

  • Personal leasing demand for ZEVs has seen a small reduction to 26% of new registrations from 28% – this is partly driven by a large growth in demand for PHEVs, with leasing companies. ​
  • Lease rates are being affected by falling residual values as the prices of three-year-old EVs have declined at the sharpest rate in Europe this year, to 38% of their new value compared to 45% for ICEVs [FT], while the flexibilities now offered to OEMs in the ZEV Mandate may reduce new sale discounts. Together, these factors are driving monthly rentals up faster than list prices [Autocar]. ​
  • Private uptake has growth but is still low relative to the overall market, with EVs making up 40% market share of new vehicles going to private buyers in 2026 year to date, up from 39% in 2025 [SMMT]. ​
  • The impact on personal leasing demand is finely balanced. The Middle East conflict has lifted fuel prices, strengthening EVs’ running-cost advantage. It has also driven up borrowing costs and inflation, squeezing price-sensitive households. High public charging costs remain a barrier for those without home charging.​
  • The median price of a new electric car fell slightly from £49,504 in 2025 to £48,228 by May 2026, driven mainly by intensifying competition and discounting as more manufacturers and new entrants compete for customers. This is still around 21% higher than the equivalent ICE median of £39,792.​
  • According to Autotrader’s Road to 2030 report, the average RRP of a new electric vehicle was around 24% higher than an equivalent ICE model at the start of 2025. By Q2 2026, heavy discounting meant the average advertised price of new EVs dipped just below that of equivalent petrol vehicles and has hovered around parity through May 2026. This marks an important first step towards sustained price parity, but it is heavily reliant on current discounting and may not be maintained if market conditions change.​
  • EV prices have declined since 2025 while ICE prices have continued to increase, narrowing the price differential. The Electric Car Grant introduced in July 2025 reinforces the downward pressure on consumer price [CAP-HPI]. The number of lower-priced models reaching the market continues to accelerate, with many sub-£20,000 entrants arriving in 2026 [Autotrader].​
  • The median price of a new EV van has increased slightly from April 2025 (£55,431) to 2026 (£56,277), with the price difference over ICE vans (£50,738) increasing from 10% in 2025 to 12% in 2026. However, there are differences in the mix of EV and ICE models. Comparing like-for-like vehicles, EV vans are 27% more expensive on average.​

Public EV charging costs:​

  • According to Zapmap, as of April 2026, the average pay-as-you-go (PAYG) price for slow/fast chargers was approximately 54p per kilowatt-hour (kWh), while rapid/ultra-rapid chargers averaged around 79p/kWh.​
  • These are similar to 2025 prices (53p/kWh slow/fast and 81p/kWh rapid/ultra-rapid)​
  • Recent market disruptions linked to instability in the Middle East have driven petrol prices upwards from 132p/litre prior to March 2026 [Gov.uk] to 158p/litre in June 2026. As charging costs have not increased at the same rate, public slow/fast charging costs are now comparable to petrol prices while the price gap between rapid/ultra-rapid charging EVs over petrol is reduced.​

Home EV charging costs:​

  • The cost of EV charging at home rose to 27.7p/kWh in January 2026, representing a 5% increase from 2025. [Zapmap] This was caused by an increase in the Ofgem electricity price cap.​
  • There could be further increases in Q3 2026 driven by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, which is driving up global oil and gas prices. [Ofgem]​
  • The cost saving of home charging EVs compared to fuelling ICE vehicles remains significant, with home charging equivalent to approximately 79 pence per litre of petrol at the domestic price cap and roughly 25 pence per litre with the cheapest off-peak tariffs. ​
  • As of June 2026, at least five EV tariffs offered off-peak prices of less than 9p/kWh. [Smart home charge]

 

  • Transactions of used EVs grew strongly in 2025, up 46% to 274,815 units [SMMT]​
  • Overall supply continues to rise as leased and salary-sacrifice fleets with a high share of EVs reach the used market, although there has been increasing demand, especially since the conflict in the Middle East, and demand exceeded supply in April 2026 for the first time since 2022 [Autotrader]​
  • Used EV prices have been under pressure in recent years from heavy discounting of new vehicles to meet the ZEV Mandate, and competitive pricing of new models from China, as well as increasing supply, with greater depreciation in their first three years than ICEVs. Although the recent rise in demand has not significantly impacted used values, there may be early signs of a strengthening market [FT, Autotrader, CAP-HPI]​
  • Values of used EVs have continued to decline across all age and mileage profiles in April 2026, with falls the steepest at the older end, with the overall market down 0.7% at one year, 1.3% at five years and 1.5% at ten. Average used EV prices of three to five year-old cars fell by around 11% year-on-year through April 2026 [CAP-HPI]​
“Without a global desire for EVs, demand in rentals will remain constrained. Adopting EVs ahead of customer demand is not viable and risks damaging the services the rental sector can provide.”
Road to Zero Report
BVRLA
DEMAND
Infrastructure
Supply

Key Themes

Infrastructure

Official charger statistics have been affected by changes in data collection. While at first sight it appears on track for 300,000 chargers by 2030, there has been a slow down in deployment and the average deployment will need to move from 13,200 per year to 48,000 chargers.

Data on utilisation is now held and published directly by individual charge point operators, making it difficult to compare performance across the network. Research by WSP suggests many rapid and ultra-rapid networks are still falling short of the 99% reliability standard, although this is increasingly hard to verify.

While there has been some growth in pre‑bookable chargers, this is not yet mainstream and evidence on where booking is available remains difficult to find.

Accessibility of public charging for vans continues to be a concern, and members still highlight the time and cost involved in securing new or upgraded grid connections, even though efforts to streamline the process are welcomed.

KPI's for Infrastructure

The key performance indicators used to track demand levels

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Public charging availability and reliability ​

2026: Brakes On
2025: Cruising
2024: Cruising

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Public charger numbers

🟡
Percentage of chargers out of service

Public charger numbers continue to expand, passing 120,000 by the end of April 2026, according to the latest Zapmap figures. A change in methodology now counts individual chargers rather than charging devices. Although the new total is above the exponential pathway to 300,000 chargers, deployment has recently slowed and installations must accelerate – to average 48,000 per year versus ~13,200 in 2025 – to meet the target.​ [Zapmap, Gov.uk]

The Public Charge Point Regulations (2023) require CPOs to achieve 99% annual average reliability, and publish compliance, for rapid (50kW+) chargers. Only seven of the top ten CPOs by market share listed on Zapmap currently publish reliability figures, of which only four achieve 99% reliability. [The Public Charge Point Regulations 2023, Zapmap, WSP Analysis]​

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Public Charging User Experience

2026: Brakes on
2025: Brakes on
2024: Brakes on

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Percentage of network with live data

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Percentage of network that is pre-bookable 

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Ease of payment across network

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Percentage of network that is van accessible

Percentage of network with live data – As of the 1st of June 2026, 85% of both chargers and devices covered by Zapmap show live data status, representing approximately a 5% increase in live data coverage from last year. [Zapmap]

Percentage of network that is pre-bookable – Pre-booking remains limited across the UK public charging network away from small scale pilots, Arnold Clark’s Charge 62 ultra-rapid charging hubs and private charger sharing schemes such as CoCharger and Just Park. Planned ZEHID truck shared-depot booking is yet to launch. Availability still presents a major challenge for van fleets without access to depot charging. [CoCharger, Just park, Arnold Clark, TfWM]

Ease of payment across network – The Public Charge Point Regulations (2023) require contactless payment and at least one roaming provider options at chargers over 50kW. Leading EV fuel card providers cover over 70% of the network according to the new charger metric, with coverage expanding broadly in line with deployment. [Gov.uk, Allstar, Paua]

Percentage of network that is van accesible – Although some providers are starting to provide a filter by vehicle size with a limited range of commercial vehicle types, coverage remains fragmented. Van accessibility remains difficult to assess consistently, with no centralised information on charger suitability for different vehicle sizes. [Paua]​
​​

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Ease
of
Implementation

2026: Brakes on
2025: Brakes on
2024: Brakes on

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Average grid connection times

Average grid connection times – Although Ofgem’s latest Electricity Distribution annual report (2024-25) suggests that formal quote-and-connect metrics remain broadly on track at sector level (with 11 out of 14 DNOs achieving green RAG ratings for Time to Connect), real-world project experience still points to persistent barriers for new charging infrastructure projects. [Ofgem, Energy Oasis, Electric Freightway reports]

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Local Authority Support

2026: Brakes On
2025: Amber accelerating
2024: Brakes on

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Progress in funding local authority infrastructure

Progress in funding local authority infrastructure – English Local Authority projects representing 70% of the Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund have been approved for delivery, a total of £257 million in capital funding (a 17% increase from 2025), with projects for a further 10% under final review. [Gov.uk]. Additional funding has also been allocated through separate schemes in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. [Gov.scot, Gov.wales, NI.gov.uk]​​

Did you know?

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% charge points out of service

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Ease of payment across the network

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% of network that is van accessible

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Local Authority support

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Key Insights

Infrastructure

124

Upper-Tier local authorities have been approved for LEVI funding

Public charger deployment & reliability​

  • At the end of April 2026, the number of public EV chargers in the UK passed 120,000, with more than 28,000 rapid or ultra-rapid chargers now available. [Zapmap]​
  • Charger (EVSE) deployment by the new metric is ahead of an exponential pathway to the government’s simplified demand estimate of 300,000 chargers by 2030, despite a slight slowdown in the rate of new installations. Deployment will need to average 48,000 chargers per year over the next 4 years to remain on target, a significant acceleration from the ~13,200 deployed in 2025. [Gov.uk] ​
  • DfT and Zapmap now report Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE) i.e. Charger numbers instead of Devices as previously. This metric is seen as more representative since Chargers reflects the number of EVs that can be charged simultaneously. [Zapmap, Gov.uk]​
  • There remains a higher concentration of chargers in London and the South-East than elsewhere in the UK, with over 45,000 public EV chargers, 38% of the UK total and 46% of England’s total. [Gov.uk]. Scotland is now the third largest UK region by charger count, with three Scottish authorities appearing in the national top 10 rankings (with London grouped as a single area). Northern Ireland continues to lag significantly on charger deployment with just 1% of the UK total, providing 59.4 public EV chargers per 100,000 people compared with the UK average of 171.9​
  • Although legislation now requires rapid charger reliability of 99% [Gov.uk], just 7 of the 10 largest CPOs publish reliability figures, of which only four achieve 99%. [char.gy, ChargePlace Scotland, TotalEnergies, Zest]​

Figure Source: DfT Electric Vehicle Public Charging Infrastructure Statistics, April 2025​

​

Public charging user experience​

  • Since November 2024, the Public Charge Point Regulations require CPOs to provide open data [Gov.uk], although the number of chargers on Zapmap delivering real-time status updates has only reached 85%.​
  • The same regulations set requirements for rapid charger reliability and data transparency, but only four of the top ten CPOs are meeting the 99% target. [WSP analysis]​
  • Although major EV fuel card providers now cover most of the network and up to 85% of motorway charging sites, no single service gives full payment access to all public chargers. [Allstar, Paua]​
  • Physical accessibility continues to fall short with no mandatory reporting or robust compliance monitoring, alongside ongoing challenges around awareness, the supply of compliant devices and practical implementation. [transportfocus]​
  • Charger pre-booking will be critical for commercial vehicles but remains largely unavailable, other than limited applications and pilots. [CoCharger, Just park, Arnold Clark, TfWM]​
  • Van and truck-suitable chargers remain challenging to identify. Paua has introduced vehicle-size filters on its platform, which shows far fewer charging sites for large vans than for cars [Paua]. The past year has seen a handful of public charging sites open for trucks with more promised through ZEHID, [Milence, Fleete, SMMT, UKRI, Paua, First bus] however comprehensive national public data for commercial vehicle chargers is needed. [Paua]

Chart Description
Charging capability has shifted upwards in 2026, with 13 models now capable of charging at speeds exceeding 100kW, compared with only six models in 2025. ​

  • The strongest growth is in the 101-125 kW and 126-150kW bands, which now contain six models each, although the 76-100kW band remains the most common maximum charging speed category for electric van models covering 16 models. ​
  • Low-power rapid charging is becoming less common, with only three models limited to 75kW or less in 2026, down from six models in 2025. This suggests newer electric van models are increasingly being specified for faster public or depot charging use cases.​

Source: Long list of electric vans extracted from the Plug-in Van Grant eligibility list, with the top 99% of models undergoing data collection. Individual charging capabilities selected from vehicle specification documents, published online.​

  • Although Ofgem reports 11 out of 14 DNOs achieved green RAG ratings for their Time to Connect metric [Ofgem], this does not fully reflect the real-world challenges still faced by charge point developers and fleets seeking timely grid connections.​
  • In ZEHID, the fourth Electric Freightway report found connections to the electricity network are likely to be a significant barrier to eHGV electrification: many depots surveyed could not be connected within budget and time constraints, while legal processes and landowner complications add delay [Hitachi]. The eFreight2030 report The Road Ahead says connection times can be up to five years for a 1MW connection, and recommends electricity network operators engage with fleet operators and start planning for the transition. [eFreight2030]​
  • For rental, leasing, and fleet operators, the blockers are not only average connection times, but whether grid capacity, site readiness and connection queue reform can support commercially viable charging infrastructure at the locations where fleets need it.
  • The delivery of the £450 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding programme has progressed, with 70% of English local authorities (LAs) that applied now approved for delivery, representing £257 million of capital funding. [Gov.uk]​
  • A further 10% of projects are approved and pending final review. This means that, of the £343 million in available capital funding, 80% has been approved or is nearing final approval. [Energy Saving Trust]​
  • 124 Upper-Tier LAs (including combined authorities) out of 152 have been approved for LEVI funding.​
  • Separate devolved schemes are supporting delivery outside England, including Scotland’s £17.8 million 2026-27 EV package [Gov.scot], Wales’ £3.9 million for EV charging infrastructure enhancements [Gov.wales] and Northern Ireland’s £2 million+ On Street Residential Charge Point Scheme (ORCS) project across nine council areas. [NI.gov.uk]
"For rental, leasing, and fleet operators, the blockers are not only average connection times, but whether grid capacity, site readiness and connection queue reform can support commercially viable charging infrastructure at the locations where fleets need it."
Road to Zero Report
BVRLA
DEMAND
Infrastructure
Supply

Key Themes

Supply

The number of affordable electric models has grown, with 55 now under £30,000 and 22 under £25,000, but only four vans sit below £30,000, where demand typically sits.

Van suitability remains a concern, with limited charging speeds and only around half of models offering a real‑world range of 200 miles or more, so the overall van proposition remains relatively weak.

Sales of zero emission cars and vans have increased but still fall short of ZEV mandate trajectories, with vans in particular lagging.

Repair times and parts costs for ZEVs continue to improve versus internal combustion vehicles, and the number of EV‑trained technicians still exceeds current demand for service, maintenance and repair.

Concerns remain about access to qualified technicians, given an ageing workforce, regional disparities and the risk that training will not keep pace with rising demand.

KPI's for Supply

The key performance indicators used to track supply levels

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ZEV Product Suitability

2026: Accelerating
2025: Accelerating
2024: Accelerating

 

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Vehicle affordability

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Vehicle efficiency

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Vehicle charging speeds

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Vans minimum range

Vehicle affordability – In 2026 13% of all new electric cars were under £30k – a significant rise from 25 to 55 models [EV Database]. There are now 22 affordable car models under £25k, up from 12 models in 2025. There are only four van models available below £30k [DfT]. [Manufacturer specs]

Vehicle efficiency​ – The efficiency of cars remains similar in 2026, with 80% reporting efficiency of greater than three miles per kWh compared to 82% in 2025 [EV Database]. ​​​

Vans reporting efficiency of greater than 3 miles/kWh reduced to 31% compared to 39% in 2025, due to some larger van models entering the market [Manufacturer specs].

Vehicle charging speeds – For cars, 98% of EV models support at least 50 kW rapid charging, with over a quarter of models (28%) offering ultra-rapid charging (>150 kW) [EV Database], both higher than 2025.​​

For vans, 81% (26) models have maximum charging capabilities of at least 100 kW vs 62% in 2025, although only one  model can rapid charge above 150 kW. [Manufacturer specs]

Vans minimum range – Just 50% of van models (16) had a range greater than 200 miles, similar to 2025 (15 models). Real-world range is lower when accounting for payload and temperature. Higher-range models remain unaffordable for many operators [Manufacturer specs].​

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ZEV Product Satisfaction

2026: Brakes on
2025: Brakes on
2024: Brakes on

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Aggregated satisfaction with OEM services

The leasing sector’s satisfaction with OEM electric car services, including product condition, delivery, and post-purchase support, decreased slightly to 70%, compared to 73% in 2025. Van product satisfaction continues to remain low. [BVRLA] ​

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ZEV Sales and Origin

2026: Accelerating
2025: Accelerating
2024: Accelerating

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Percentage of sales that are ZEV

SMMT projects that the EV market will reach 26.8% of car registrations and 11.1% of van registrations in 2026, well below the headline 2026 ZEV mandate target​s of 33% and 24%, although credits for non-ZEVs are expected to enable compliance [SMMT], [DfT]. 

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Aftermarket
Services

2026: Cruising
2025: Cruising
2024: Brakes on

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Number of qualified ZEV technicians

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ZEV repair times and costs​

Number of qualified ZEV technicians – TechSafe qualified technicians reached 74,734 in 2025 (35% of all technicians), maintaining the surplus of EV-trained technicians seen in 2024. Current technician availability could be compromised by a 2.4% vacancy rate and regional disparities, while IMI highlight that longer-term availability may not keep pace with EV demand. [IMI]​
​
ZEV repair times and costs​ –Repair times and parts costs for EVs remain lower than ICEV counterparts in 2026. EVs have 17% shorter repair times and 37% lower parts cost than ICEVs [Fleet Assist].

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Van minimum
range

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Satisfaction with OEM services

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No. of qualified technicians

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ZEV repair times and costs

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Key Insights

Supply

22

new ZEV car models now under £25k

These graphs compare ZEV models available by price band for cars (left) and vans (right) in 2025 and 2026, with total model registrations by price (2025) overlaid for comparison.​ Since 2025, affordable ZEV models have increased, with the choice of car models in the sub-£30,000 price range more than doubling. Despite this, there remains a lack of ZEV model choice for cars priced below £30,000 where demand for ICEV typically sits. For vans, 63% of electric van models are priced above £40,000 despite most sales being for vans below that [EV Database, DfT, Manufacturer specs].​

As ZEV technologies and supply chains are maturing, price reductions in entry-level electric cars and vans are falling and model capabilities are improving. For cars, the number of affordable models below £30k has increased from 25 to 55 models in 2026, with the £20-30k model segment again showing the fastest growth of any price bracket. In addition, the average range for sub-£30k models increased from 158 miles to 169 miles. There has also been a substantial increase in cars under £25k over the past year, from 12 models in 2025 to 22 models today [EV Database], while the new electric car grant reduces the effective price of some models by £1,500-3,750 [Gov.uk].​

The affordable van market is showing an increase in available choices, but little sign of falling prices. There are now 26 models under £50k (17 in 2025), 12 under £40k (12 in 2025), and four models below £30k (one in 2025). The average range for van models reduced slightly to 201 miles in 2026, down from 206 miles in 2025, although most models are now capable of ultra-rapid charging speeds of at least 100 kW  [Manufacturer specs].​

 

In 2025, EV sales reached 23.4% for cars and 8.9% for vans, falling short of the headline targets in the ZEV Mandate of 28% and 16% respectively [DfT]. Compliance may rely on manufacturers exceeding CO2 targets, thus generating convertible credits, and utilising trading and borrowing flexibilities sufficiently.  ​​

Electric car registrations are projected to reach 25.9% this year, below the target of 33% but exceeding the projected effective target adjusted through flexibilities. This growth is aided by a greater than doubling of affordable electric car models (under £30,000) to 55 models [EV Database]. ​​

The market faces disruption from Chinese brands, which took 9.7% of UK new car registrations and 12.7% of EV sales in 2025. BYD, Jaecoo, Omoda and Chery expanded rapidly, bringing more lower-cost EV and PHEV models into the market [CarDealer].​

Sales of PHEVs have also surged. Plug-in hybrids were the fastest-growing powertrain in 2025, reaching 11.1% market share and up 34.7% compared to 2024. Chinese PHEVs were a major part of that growth; The BYD Seal U, Jaecoo 7 PHEV and MG HS PHEV together accounted for 21% of all UK PHEV sales [Car Magazine].​

Slow growth of the Van EV market is anticipated due to continued challenges around vehicle suitability and the availability of accessible chargers. Driven by grants and new models, electric van sales are projected to reach 11.4% of the market in 2026, but manufacturers are expected to use flexibilities to meet the ZEV Mandate 24% target [SMMT].

Over the past year, the shortage in industry-wide motor trade jobs has further reduced, whilst EV-trained technician roles have continued to outpace demand for their services. In March 2026, there was a 2.4% vacancy rate in the motor trade sector, which is down from 2.9% in March 2025, with the average vacancy rate across all sectors reducing from 2.4% to 2.2% over the same period [IMI]. As such, whilst vacancies persist, the reduction in motor trade job openings has outpaced the UK average, highlighting a recovery and stabilisation of roles including service, maintenance, and repair as well as manufacturing. ​

A previously forecasted deficit in EV-trained technicians in the early 2030s is now expected to worsen, driven by insufficient training progress and rising projected demand year-on-year, leading to a growing skills gap within the UK workforce as EV adoption becomes more widespread. While the number of EV-trained technicians in 2025 exceeded demand, this balance is unlikely to keep pace as EV uptake accelerates, increasing the risk of a future shortage.​

In 2026, repair times and part costs for service, maintenance, and repair of EVs remain more competitive than ICEV counterparts, with 17% lower repair times and 37% lower parts cost [Fleet Assist].

Most small vans fall within the £25-35k price range, with lower GVW allowing five models (71%) to exceed 200 miles. However, larger vans with heavier GVW need larger, more expensive batteries to achieve similar range, and so no large van models under £40k have over 200 miles range. Larger vans with >200-mile range cost from just over £40k to over £60k, making them unaffordable for most fleets, although there are now seven large vans with >200-mile range costing under £50k (up from just one in 2025).​

Source: Van model prices and ranges were taken from Manufacturer websites. Van size determined by model GVW and classification under the Plug-inVan Grant criteria, with small vans under 2.5 tonnes GVW and large vans between 2.5-4.25 tonnes GVW. ​

Special thanks to:

Allstar
Autotrader
Cap-HPI
Fleet Assist
IMI
Paua
Zapmap

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