Issue 14 - UK electric car choice doubles to 171 models in three years, SMMT says
Also this week: Chinese car brands' UK market share nearly triples to 15.8%
Electric vehicles dominated this week's fleet news, with the UK's EV model choice doubling to 171 in three years and Chinese brands nearly tripling their market share. Leasing firms reported strong salary sacrifice EV demand, new charging infrastructure opened, and SMMT pressed politicians to strengthen commercial vehicle decarbonisation support.
The issue as it landed on Tuesday morning.
Chinese car brands' UK market share nearly triples to 15.8%, AA data shows
AA research finds Chinese brands took 15.8% of UK new vehicle sales in August 2026, up from 5.5% a year earlier, even as its survey of AA members shows many drivers remain wary of buying Chinese-made cars.
Source joins Zapmap as payment partner for UK ultra-rapid charging hubs
The integration lets Zapmap app and card users pay directly at Source's ultra-rapid charging hubs, adding to a network with plans for 300 sites across the UK and Ireland by 2030.
SMMT urges political parties to strengthen commercial vehicle decarbonisation support
Ahead of party conference season, SMMT says electric van uptake hit a record 16.3% share in August but remains below the 2026 mandate level, while HGV registrations fell and zero emission trucks stayed around 1% of the market.
Easee cuts EU charger range to two models to meet AFIR requirements
From 1 January 2027 Charge Max and Charge Pro will be the only chargers Easee sells into EU markets, as Charge Core and Charge Up are phased out and the planned Charge Up2 is scrapped.
Electric car choice in the UK doubles to 171 models in three years, SMMT says
Manufacturers are launching one new electric vehicle model every fortnight in the UK, doubling consumer choice over three years.
Welch's Transport opens megawatt eHGV charging hub at Cambridge site, built by Voltempo
The six-bay Duxford hub, delivered through the eFREIGHT 2030 project, gives the family haulier up to 1MW of dynamically distributed power and joins a matching facility at Bedford.
Ayvens targets 10% LCV leasing growth by 2029
Ayvens plans to expand light commercial vehicle and used electric vehicle leasing services through 2029.
BMW's new all-electric i3 lined up to lead Berlin Marathon field in early public outing
The Neue Klasse i3, which began series production at BMW's Munich plant in August 2026, was lined up as lead car for the men's elite race as BMW marked its 15th appearance as title partner of the Berlin Marathon.
Volvo Bus UK & Ireland's Saskia Legate on electrification support and ScotZEB/ZEBRA funding, in SMMT Q&A
In a profile published by SMMT, Volvo Bus UK & Ireland's National Account Manager sets out how the manufacturer supports operators through the switch to zero tailpipe emission buses, and credits the ScotZEB and ZEBRA funding programmes with helping close the investment gap on infrastructure and depo
SMMT profiles four UK fleets cutting admin with digital fleet management software
From a specialist vet fleet chasing DVSA Earned Recognition to a decorator chain rolling out route optimisation nationwide, SMMT's latest case studies show how transport management systems and driver apps are replacing paperwork across very different operations.
National Highways trials four Hyundai Ioniq 9 EVs as traffic officer vehicles
The seven-seat electric SUVs have been converted with emergency lighting, a bullhorn and telematics for frontline incident response, with National Highways weighing further purchases later in 2026 depending on how the trial goes.
EVA England, BVRLA and IMDA launch EV Retail Ready training scheme for independent dealers
The free online accreditation covers charging, in-life costs and the customer journey, after EVA England survey data found only a quarter of used EV buyers rated their dealership handover as good or excellent, compared with 34% of new car buyers.
AIT Home Delivery adds two Mercedes-Benz eSprinter electric vans for urban routes
Supplied by NRG Riverside, the electric vans will run final-mile delivery routes from AIT's Northampton and Enfield depots as part of the home delivery specialist's wider push to cut fleet emissions.