UK used car sales rise 0.5% in Q3 2026 as used electric car transactions climb 23.2%
Battery electric cars took 4.8% of the 2,030,619 used cars that changed hands in the third quarter, up from 3.9% a year earlier, according to SMMT. Used diesel transactions fell 5.3% over the same period.
The number of used cars changing hands in the UK rose 0.5% year on year to 2,030,619 in the third quarter of 2026, according to figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) on 9 November. That compares with 2,021,265 in Q3 2025. SMMT says it was the strongest Q3 since 2021, when 2,034,463 transactions were recorded.
Over the first nine months of the year the market grew 0.3% to 6,056,169 transactions, which SMMT says is the best first three quarters since 2019, when there were 6,130,762.
Battery electric share rises to 4.8%
Used battery electric car transactions rose 23.2% to 97,625 in Q3, giving a 4.8% market share, or around one in 20 used car buyers, up from 3.9% a year earlier. SMMT attributes the growth to investment in new models filtering through to the used market and widening buyer choice. Year to date, used battery electric transactions are up 39.6% at 295,524.
Used hybrid (HEV) transactions grew 25.9% to 135,204, lifting their share to 6.7% from 5.3%. Plug-in hybrids fell 13.3% to 20,911, a 1.0% share, though SMMT notes this small segment is subject to volatility.
Petrol remained the largest fuel type, with 1,148,576 transactions and a 56.6% share. Diesel fell 5.3% to 623,354, a 30.7% share, which SMMT links to reduced supply from the new car market. Non-electrified cars accounted for 87.5% of used sales, down from 89.5% in Q3 2025.
ZEV Mandate
SMMT argues that discounting new electric cars to meet what it calls increasingly unfeasible ZEV Mandate targets is putting significant pressure on trade-in values, discouraging renewal and slowing the flow of vehicles into the used market. It calls for the mandate to be reformed to reflect market realities.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: "Another quarter of growth means Britain’s used car market remains on course for its best year since the Covid-19 pandemic." He said the new car market must remain strong, supported by measures to boost EV demand, including affordable and widely accessible charging infrastructure and fiscal incentives.
SMMT's used car figures are derived from DVLA data, which is periodically revised, so previously reported figures can change.
Sources
SMMTHow THRIVE sources and checks its stories · Corrections, and how to report an error
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