Back to today’s briefing

Story perspectives

UK EV Sales Jump 27%; France Registrations Up 55% YoY

6/5/2026

50 4

Summary

Story summary

UK registrations rose 7% to 160,662 in May, with battery electric vehicles over 27% of sales.
Analysts say the UK’s 33% EV target effectively equals about 24.6% because of rule flexibilities, prompting SMMT chief Mike Hawes to urge an urgent review.
France logged 185,714 EV registrations in five months of 2026, a 55% YoY rise that lifted the EV share to 27.8% and made the Renault 5 E-Tech the best-selling electric model.

History

Historical Context

The UK’s Plug-in Car Grant, launched on 1 January 2011 with a £5,000 rebate, pushed registrations from 12,000 in 2010 to over 94,541 eligible vehicles by early 2015. That early stimulus helped lift May 2026 registrations to 160,662, 27 % of new sales, echoing the grant’s lasting impact on policy and market in Europe’s zero-emission targets.

1 of 2

Story summary

UK registrations rose 7% to 160,662 in May, with battery electric vehicles over 27% of sales.
Analysts say the UK’s 33% EV target effectively equals about 24.6% because of rule flexibilities, prompting SMMT chief Mike Hawes to urge an urgent review.
France logged 185,714 EV registrations in five months of 2026, a 55% YoY rise that lifted the EV share to 27.8% and made the Renault 5 E-Tech the best-selling electric model.

1 / 2