U.K. Plug-In Vehicles Sell at Record Pace in Q3

Plug-in vehicle sales in the U.K. soared 36% year-on-year in the third quarter to a record 12,932 units, beating the old mark set in first-quarter 2017 by 721 units.

Go Ultra Low, a group promoting zero-emissions vehicles, says the latest quarterly figures were boosted by a record September, up 25% year-on-year to 7,794 plug-in models.

The organization says the growth is being driven by the rapidly expanding variety of PHEVs offered by manufacturers, their low running costs and the region’s continually improving charging infrastructure.

“With demand continuing to increase, this year’s registrations are expected to exceed the full-year total for 2016 by the end of October,” a Go Ultra Low statement says.

Despite the enthusiasm, PHEVs remain a small segment of a U.K. market that saw third-quarter sales of 726,353 units, down 12.4% from 829,607 a year earlier.

Go Ultra Low says the popularity of all-electric cars continues to drive growth, with 11,127 new vehicles sold in the year so far, up 37% from year-ago.

The record uptake levels pushed the total of plug-in cars on U.K. roads to more than 120,000.

Go Ultra Low head Poppy Welch says her group is launching a media campaign meant to help U.K. motorists find what type of electrified vehicle could be right for them.

The effort launches with a new website, advertising and social-media campaign that aims to make it easier for U.K. motorists to find information about the latest EV technology and learn more about the various plug-in cars on the market.

Meanwhile, the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership announces its 2017 low-carbon champions, with Transport for London, bus manufacturer BYD and operator Go-Ahead London sharing the top prize for their effective partnership running London’s first two all-electric bus routes.

London EV, previously known as London Taxi, took the low-carbon car/van manufacturer of the year prize after bringing to market the world’s first purpose-built electric taxi.