Electric vehicles roar up Britain's sales rankings
EV sales are rising in the UK as political changes in Europe help fuel the transition away from fossil-fuel engines
Sales of hybrid and electric vehicles in the UK hit a record high in May as buyers turned their back on diesel cars. Data for May released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) this week showed that 11,240 units were sold last month, a 38% increase on 2017, while the market share for EVs and hybrids also increased to 5.8% on the previous year's figure of 4.4%. So far, in the first five months total sales are at 57,000, representing a rise of 19.5%. Political shifts in Western Europe in recent weeks are also expected to support momentum towards faster adoption of electric vehicles. The populist Five Star Movement that has become the majority partner in a new Italian coali
Also in this section
26 June 2025
ExxonMobil and Eni offer hope for projects as sector looks to get to grips with cost overruns and delays
26 June 2025
While oil prices will determine the trajectory of the key US shale patch, regulation and technological shifts are also likely to shape direction longer term
26 June 2025
Last year was one of records for renewables but also for oil, gas and coal, as the energy transition progresses in an increasingly uneven way, according to the Energy Institute’s latest annual report
25 June 2025
New discoveries and stabilisation of legacy fields’ output have helped China reverse the decline and be a top-five producer in recent years
