A surge in demand for electric vehicles has driven sales to a seven-year high.

The number of new cars registered last month was 213,166, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said yesterday.

The figure was up 11.4 per cent compared with the same month last year, and the best June since 2019.

Pure battery electric cars made up 30 per cent of sales in June – up from 24.8 per cent a year earlier. The SMMT described the sales figures for electric vehicles (EVs) as ‘significant’.

But it noted electric car sales are still behind government targets, despite heavy discounting that is hitting profits and investment.

The Government’s Zero-Emission Vehicle mandate states that 33 per cent of each manufacturer’s car sales must be fully electric this year, rising to 80 per cent by 2030. 

Referring to the targets, SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes has warned that ‘no one in the industry thinks it can be done’ and has called for an ‘immediate review’.

He said: ‘June’s performance is very strong, showing EV uptake is growing, with battery electric cars reaching their highest market share this year and more than half of buyers choosing electrified models. But even these record levels are still not enough to meet mandated targets.

‘Manufacturers are investing billions developing and bringing the vehicles to market – and spending billions more to sell them – yet the market is still not moving fast enough. 

Reforming the mandate now is essential not just to keep the transition on track, but to protect the UK’s competitiveness, attract investment and safeguard jobs.’

Rising fuel prices triggered by the conflict with Iran, as well as a growing range of new models, have boosted sales of electric cars this year.

The boom in sales last month was helped by a shipment of new Teslas, with 12,200 vehicles delivered to customers, accounting for around a fifth of all EV registrations.

The SMMT said pure battery-powered cars accounted for a record 25 per cent of the market in the first half of the year, still well below the 33 per cent target.

To hit the target, sales of these vehicles would need to surpass 40 per cent of the total across the rest of the year.

An SMMT spokesman said: ‘Despite more choice, uptake is still not rising fast enough.’