The UK’s used electric car market is gathering serious momentum, with sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) surging 67.0% year on year in the second quarter of 2026.

New figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that 110,761 used electric cars changed hands between April and June, giving EVs a record 5.5% share of the UK used car market.

For a market that is still relatively young, the pace of growth is significant. More importantly, it signals that electric cars are moving beyond the new-car and company-car sectors and becoming an increasingly established part of the wider UK automotive market.

For drivers considering making the switch to electric, the expanding used EV market means one thing above all, more choice.

A bigger choice of used electric cars

The number of electric vehicles available on the second-hand market has been building steadily as the first generations of mainstream EVs reach the end of their initial finance, leasing and fleet contracts.

That is important for the UK's transition to electric motoring.

New electric cars can still represent a significant financial commitment, particularly for motorists buying outright. A growing supply of used EVs gives drivers another route into electric motoring, with a wider selection of models, ages and price points becoming available.

The latest SMMT figures show that consumers are responding.

Used BEV transactions increased by 110.9% in April, followed by a 57.6% rise in May and a 37.8% increase in June. Across the quarter as a whole, 110,761 used electric cars changed hands, an increase of more than 44,000 vehicles compared with the same period last year.

That is not simply an increase in market share. It represents a substantial expansion in the number of motorists choosing an electric car as their next vehicle.

Why the used EV market matters

The used car market will be critical to the UK's transition to electric vehicles.

While much of the attention around electrification focuses on new EV sales, the reality is that a large proportion of motorists buy their cars second-hand. For electric vehicles to become genuinely mainstream, they need to become increasingly accessible beyond the new-car market.

That is where the growing supply of used EVs becomes particularly important.

The vehicles entering the second-hand market today are also increasingly familiar to consumers. Models such as the Tesla Model 3, Volkswagen ID.3, Hyundai Kona Electric, Kia e-Niro and MG4 EV have helped establish electric cars across a range of segments, from affordable hatchbacks to premium saloons and SUVs.

As these vehicles move through their first ownership cycles, more motorists are getting the opportunity to experience electric driving without necessarily paying the price of a brand-new vehicle.

Leasing is helping create the next generation of used EVs

There is also a strong connection between the growth of electric car leasing and the expanding used EV market.

Many of the relatively young electric vehicles now reaching the second-hand market have previously been leased or operated as company cars. At the end of those agreements, vehicles return to the wider market, creating a steady pipeline of used electric cars.

This makes leasing an important part of the EV ecosystem.

The cars being leased today are not simply serving their first drivers. They will ultimately contribute to the supply of affordable used EVs available to the next generation of electric-car buyers.

For Lease Electric, that wider lifecycle is particularly important. The growth of EV leasing and the growth of the used electric car market are closely connected, more electric cars entering the market today means more choice for drivers tomorrow.

Used EV demand is growing, but supply remains crucial

Despite the impressive growth, electric cars still account for a small proportion of the overall UK used-car market.

That is less a reflection of falling demand and more a consequence of how recently mass-market EV adoption has accelerated.

The industry is now entering an important phase. As increasing numbers of electric vehicles reach the end of their first lease or finance term, the volume of used EVs available to consumers should continue to grow.

Maintaining that flow of vehicles will be essential.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes warned that constraints on the supply of new vehicles could ultimately affect the availability of used cars, arguing that the transition to electric needs to deliver an affordable and accessible choice for motorists.

For the EV market, this is particularly relevant. Today's new electric cars become tomorrow's used electric cars.