Used Electric Vehicle Sales Surge 57% in UK Market
The UK’s used electric vehicle market hit record growth in 2024, with sales jumping 57.4% according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Second-hand EV transactions reached 188,382 units — representing 2.5% of all used vehicle sales. That’s up from 1.7% in 2023 and 13 times higher than 2019 levels.
The EV segment’s growth significantly outpaced the broader used car market, which saw a 5.5% increase. Fourth-quarter EV market share held steady at 2.7%, matching Q3 performance.
When including plug-in hybrids and full hybrids, electrified vehicle sales grew 43.3% compared to 2023. These ultra-low and zero-emission vehicles made up 7.7% of all used car transactions, matching their share of new vehicle sales.
“Record sales of second hand EVs demonstrates strong appetite for these cutting-edge cars at lower price points,” said Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive.
Hawes emphasized the importance of maintaining affordability and supply to continue this momentum. He called for “meaningful fiscal incentives” to drive new EV demand and criticized the VED expensive car tax, warning it could impact used EV affordability.
The used car sector has now seen 25 consecutive months of growth — a trend that’s expanding consumer choice as more vehicles filter down from the new car market.
Total used vehicle sales reached 7,643,180 units across all fuel types in 2024.
