Demand for used electric vehicles (EVs) jumped by a third in 2025 in record figures as they “move steadily into the mainstream”, new research has found.
Used EV transactions rose 45.7% to 274,815 units, as EV demand jumped by almost a third in 2025, SMMT’s used car index showed.
Demand for EVs accelerated significantly, driven by an ever-increasing choice of models and the potential for lower running costs, the index revealed.
Sales of used EVs also achieved a record 3.5% market share, up from 2.5% in 2024.
Plug-in hybrid sales rose by 6.3% to 88,032 units, while hybrids increased by 28.6% to 407,531 units.
Combined, used electrified car transactions rose 30.9% on 2024 to a record 770,378 units – accounting for almost one in 10 (9.9%) purchases.
Petrol and diesel models, however, continued to dominate, comprising 89.9% of used transactions. Petrol remained the best-selling powertrain, rising 1.5% to represent 56.7% of the market, while diesel declined by 3.5%, to account for 33.1% of sales.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said:
James Hosking, managing director of AA Cars, said people are increasingly gravitating towards EVs.
He added: