- The UK new car market grew by 6.6% in March
- Battery electric vehicles were a major contributing factor
- Jaecoo 7 becomes Britain’s best-selling car
March has historically been a busy month for new car registrations, as the arrival of a new number plate encourages customers to splash out on a fresh set of wheels.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the UK new car market grew by 6.6% in March – the best month for registrations overall since 2019.
But while sales of both diesel and petrol cars fell by 6.1% and 11.4% respectively, pure battery electric cars saw a record 24.2% increase for the month compared to the same period last year.
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While many industry experts acknowledge that March is always busy for new car purchases, a number believe that electric cars have proven particularly popular due to both changing attitudes towards the technology and rising fuel prices.
“It is likely to create more interest in electric vehicles as buyers want to protect themselves against fluctuating fuel prices,” explains James Hosking, chief executive of AA Cars.
Hosking also says ownership costs are now “front of mind for buyers across both new and used markets”, with motorists weighing running costs as closely as the headline price.
“We’re already seeing that reflected in our latest used car index, with EV searches up by more than a quarter in early March. The question now is whether that shift will continue if fuel prices remain unpredictable,” he added.
The list of best-selling models for March looks familiar, with the likes of the ever-popular Ford Puma and Nissan Qashqai still featuring in the top three, but number one has now been captured by the Jaecoo 7 – a relatively unknown device last year.
This model shifted around 10,064 units in March and is currently in second place (just behind the Ford Puma) in the top models of the 2026 ranking.
According to the brand, the range-topping plug-in hybrid variant accounted for 85% of all Jaecoo 7 sales last month.
Analysis: Chinese brands on a hot streak
Alongside Omoda and Jaecoo, which claim to have delivered a record start to the ’76’ number plate change, registering 17,951 vehicles in March, Chinese rivals BYD also said they also achieved record sales in the first quarter of 2026, registering 21,337 units.
BYD says the period represented a “record month” for the brand in the UK, with a 134% increase compared to the previous year and a UK market share of over 3.98%.
While pure battery electric vehicles are not the only reason for both Jaecoo and BYD’s sales success, the pair have stated that unpredictable prices at the pumps are pushing buyers towards the more efficient hybrids and electrified powertrains they provide.
Hybrids certainly help ease the transition to electrification for the buyer, but they still fall short of the strict mandates introduced by the UK government to encourage a shift to pure electric vehicles.
Mike Hawes, CEO of SMMT, warns that despite record high levels of electric battery sales, the electricity market is “falling further away from mandated levels despite record incentives”.
Currently, BEV volume increased by 24.2% to reach an all-time high in March, but market share remains at just 22.6% – when the mandated target for the year is 33%.
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