Autotrader: Electric demand reliance on volatile fuel costs means Mandate must be revised
• With electric cars taking more than a third of new car enquiries on Autotrader for the first time ever in the same month as diesel reached £2 a litre, it highlights how electric demand relies heavily on rising fuel costs for a boost.
• Autotrader is calling for ZEV Mandate flexibility and greater consumer clarity as the policy evolves, given the vulnerability of demand to geopolitical shifts.
• Demand in the new car market holds firm following the September plate change, with a continued rise in Chinese new entrant brand enquiries.
The new car market has entered the final quarter of 2026 with underlying momentum, as the latest data from Autotrader, the UK’s largest automotive platform, reveals consumer engagement has remained strong following the busy September plate change period, with electric demand reaching record highs.
Since petrol and diesel costs started to rise in March following international conflict, new electric car demand has jumped significantly on Autotrader, rising from 24% in March to 29% in April, holding at 30% throughout the summer months. So far in October, following six consecutive months of fuel costs in the headlines, electric cars took over a third (33.8%) of all new car enquiries on Autotrader for the first time ever.
Against the backdrop of the latest ZEV Mandate review closing today, Autotrader reinforces its support for maintaining the 2030 and 2035 deadlines to provide regulatory certainty and preserve long-term decarbonisation ambitions. The market’s current strength highlights the importance of Government policy stability and of protecting the momentum in consumer electric uptake as the Government communicates the next steps for the transition. Protecting market health requires a pragmatic approach as electric demand remains vulnerable and easily impacted by geopolitics and subsequent fuel price hikes.
With current levels of electric demand so dependent on fuel prices, and against the current backdrop of geopolitical uncertainty, it remains unclear, and unlikely, that steep jumps in annual targets will be achievable - made even more difficult by the introduction of electric vehicle excise duty (eVED) in 2028. Autotrader believes that revising the Mandate will protect against global and macroeconomic instability, balancing industrial and commercial realities - which are the backbone of the underlying momentum in the electric market - without weakening long-term environmental ambitions.
Widening consumer choice drives broadening EV adoption
The broadening competitive landscape is evident in the electric space, driven by expanding model choice across premium, established volume, and new entrant brands. BMW continues to lead new electric brand interest on the platform, capturing nearly a tenth of all electric enquiries (9.4%), while Chinese manufacturer BYD holds second spot (6.2%), followed by Hyundai (5.8%) and Kia (5.6%). Model-level enquiry data highlights how consumer appetite is expanding across a diverse mix of vehicle types: the premium BMW iX3 leads new electric enquiries so far in October (4.7%), closely followed by the compact, retro-inspired Renault 5 E-Tech (4.4%) and Cupra’s Raval (3.8%).
Electric cars took more than a third of all new car enquiries on Autotrader for the first time ever this month, driven by more competition and expanding choice, particularly from Chinese new entrant brands.
Plummer continued:
"However, a successful electric transition requires a balanced regulatory approach. Electric demand remains heavily reliant on fuel prices rising amid volatile geopolitics. While demand is strong, it’s unclear whether this will be sufficient to meet the steep jumps in annual targets that are just around the corner. Long-term clarity through the 2030 and 2035 phase-out targets is vital for industry investment and consumer confidence. Given the mixed Government messaging, we need to build pragmatic flexibility into the near-term ZEV Mandate trajectory. This will drive increased compliance from manufacturers and deliver a meaningful reduction in carbon emissions from road transport.”
Most in-demand new car electric models on Autotrader in October 2026 ranked by enquiries.
Most in-demand new car electric brands on Autotrader in October 2026 ranked by enquiries.
Most in-demand new car models on Autotrader in October 2026 ranked by enquiries – all fuel types.
Most in-demand new car brands on Autotrader in October 2026 ranked by enquiries – all fuel types.
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