The UK Used Car Market Grew in 2024, and EV Demand Boomed

• The UK used car market grew 5.5% last year to 7,643,180, according to the SMMT 
• Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV) sales grew by 57.4% to a record 188,382 units 
• Sales of electric vehicles, including hybrids, represented 7.7% of the market 

As many private buyers steered clear of the new car market, used car sales surged in 2024. Within this, combined EV sales increased by 43.3%, making up 7.7% of all sales. Looking at BEVS in isolation, their sales grew 57.4%. No matter what reservations some dealers and consumers may have about BEVs, the trajectory is clear: used BEVs will be a growing part of used car sales now and in the near future.  

Looking at the overall market, used car sales grew every month last year, and Q4 brought the year to a close, with sales up 4.0% to 1,746,051 units. 

Looking at the type of used cars in demand, superminis continued to lead the way, making up almost a third of used sales (32.3%) of all used cars sold. Lower medium-sized cars took 27.1% of the market, and dual-purpose vehicles completed the top three with a market share of 15.9% of sales.