Japanese car firms at bottom of UK electric sales ranking
Honda had the largest decrease for UK EV sales in the first six months of 2025 compared to the same period last year, at 92%.
Mazda recorded the second biggest drop at 76%.
Nissan saw a 69% fall, but the ECIU noted the company is retooling its factory in Sunderland to build three new EV models, which will likely drive significant uptake.
At the other end of the scale, Ford saw the biggest year-on-year increase, with UK EV sales more than four times higher, partly because of the launch of the Ford Puma Gen-E.
The top five also included Renault and Volkswagen, which both saw UK sales of their EVs more than treble.
Colin Walker, head of transport at the ECIU, told the PA news agency: 'Traditional brands are fighting back, dramatically increasing the number of EVs they sell in what is now the world's fourth largest EV market.
'Legacy manufacturers are proving more than capable of making the transition to building the electric cars of the future with European manufacturers dominating.'
A report by consultancy CBI Economics found a failure by the automotive sector to make the transition to manufacturing EVs could see its contribution to the UK economy fall by as much as £34.1 billion, with the loss of more than 400,000 jobs.
Mr Walker said: 'The stakes for car companies the world over, and the car industry here in the UK, could not be higher.'
Ben Nelmes, chief executive of green consultancy New Automotive, which provided the statistics for the ECIU's analysis, said: 'The race to go electric is on and our new data separates the sprinters from the stragglers.
'It is fantastic to see legacy brands like Ford, Renault and the UK's own Mini delivering for drivers with a colossal surge in EV sales.
'The message to the laggards is simple: get on and build the brilliant EVs of the future, or prepare to be left behind.'
The Government has pledged to ban the sale of new fully petrol or diesel cars and vans from 2030.
Sales of hybrid cars will still be permitted until 2035.
Under the Government's zero emission vehicle (Zev) mandate, at least 28% of new cars sold by each manufacturer in the UK this year must be zero emission, which generally means pure electric.
Across all manufacturers, the figure during the first half of the year was 21.6%.
Recent changes to the mandate mean it will be easier for manufacturers who do not meet the targets to avoid fines.
A spokesperson for Mazda said the brand's drop in EV sales was caused by the discontinuation of the Mazda MX-30 BEV (battery electric vehicle), but the fully electric Mazda6e will be introduced in 2026.
He added: 'We will continue to meet the needs of our customers while developing a robust plan for the introduction of multiple EV models beyond 2026 that will give our customers an easy transition into electrified driving.'
Honda and Nissan were approached for a comment.
– Here are the top five car brands based on their increase in UK EV sales in the first half of the year:1. Ford: 324%2. BYD: 261%3. Renault: 251%4. Porsche: 203%5. Volkswagen: 201%
– Here are the bottom five:1. Honda: -92%2. Mazda: -76%3. Nissan: -69%4. Toyota: -41%5. MG: -35%
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time Out Dubai
21 minutes ago
- Time Out Dubai
Kuwait launches visa-on-arrival for expats in GCC countries
Fancy a holiday in the region? Well, you're in luck. Kuwait has just changed up its visa rules for all GCC residents, including those living in Dubai, making it easier to visit one of the region's top destinations. Effective immediately, all foreign nationals living in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman can now obtain a visa-on-arrival at entry points in Kuwait. The decision was published in the official gazette Kuwait Al-Youm on Sunday August 10 and applies to all residents living in Gulf Cooperation Council states. Kuwait City (Credit: Supplied) The move means that around 25 million foreign nationals living in the region can now enjoy the benefit of a Kuwaiti visa-on-arrival for a 90-day stay. As a result, Kuwait's Ministry of the Interior has now abolished previous visa rules, which only granted visas on arrival to GCC residents from certain categories of profession – such as doctors, engineers, judges and executives. Previously, nationals of countries in most European and North American, some Latin American countries plus the likes of China, Japan, South Korea and Singapore were eligible for the tourist visa-on-arrival. Kuwait offers tourists a wide range of modern attractions and rich cultural heritage, with the likes of Kuwait Towers and the Grand Mosque of Kuwait being must-visit attractions, before heading to the traditional souks. The visa change comes ahead of the rollout of a wider GCC Unified Travel visa, which is set to be introduced on a trial basis later in 2025. While full details of the unified visa have not been finalised, it will loosen travel rules all across the region for all residents and encourage tourism between GCC member states. Work is also gathering pace on a regional railway project, which will allow travellers more options across the region. The railway project is scheduled to be completed by 2030. Life in Dubai Direct flights from Dubai: All the brilliant places to explore So many options, so little time In pictures: Dubai then and now See just how much the city has changed through the decades 112 best things to do in Dubai in 2025 Everything to tick off your Dubai bucket list
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Ford unveils new EV in 'next Model T moment'
Ford is unveiling a new EV that it is calling its 'next Model T moment' - which will be made entirely in the US. The mid-size pickup truck is expected to hit dealerships in 2027 for around $30,000. Ford said the yet-to-be-named truck will be built on a brand-new, American-made battery platform at its Louisville, Kentucky plant. This will be the first EV from any automaker powered mostly by US-sourced materials - a big deal given that critical minerals are typically imported, often from China. GM is also developing similar battery technologies . LFPs are also cheaper to build, improve fire safety, have a longer lifespan, and offer more environmentally-friendly mining practices. Ford invoked the legacy of the Model T - the car that revolutionized American manufacturing with the assembly line - to underscore the importance of the new launch. 'It represents the most radical change on how we design and how we build vehicles at Ford since the Model T,' CEO Jim Farley said. The truck's battery uses lithium iron phosphate (LFP) chemistry, which avoids cobalt and nickel, and promises acceleration that beats the Mustang in a straight line. Ford also claims the pickup will have more passenger space than the 2025 Toyota RAV4 and include its latest highway self-driving tech, Blue Cruise. While the company hasn't revealed a name for the truck, rumors are flying that Ford is bringing back the Ranchero nameplate for the new car. The company reportedly filed patent paperwork to reclaim the name, but declined Daily Mail's request for comment on the name. The popular mini truck sold a half-million units from 1957 through the 1970s. Still, it's a major technological departure from Ford. The company, which has a three-vehicle lineup of EVs, just reported losing $1.3 billion on its all electric fleet. But Ford needed to adjust its parts pipeline. In June, the automaker temporarily shuttered some of its US production plants as Chinese officials throttled critical mineral pipelines to the company. 'There are no guarantees with this project,' Farley added. 'It is a bet, there is risk.' Investors, didn't initially seem convinced: Ford's stock dipped 0.5 percent after the announcement. 'The new techniques sound great and have potential for much higher output of a vehicle program due to faster assembly times,' David Whiston, an analyst who covers Ford at Morningstar, told the Daily Mail. 'Until we can see the product though, it's all words.' Meanwhile, Ford is not alone. Other car companies are expecting to release lower priced EVs to the market next year that could cut into Ford's low-cost EV competitiveness. Slate, a company with the financial backing of Jeff Bezos, is developing a mid-$20,000 electric pickup at its Warsaw, Indiana plant. Rivian, the outdoorsy startup with a $5 billion deal with Volkswagen, is about to launch its lower-cost R2 and R3 vehicles in 2026 . Ford's project helps President Donald Trump deliver on one of his biggest campaign promises: more manufacturing jobs in the United States. Ford said it is making a huge investment to complete the project. The automaker will spend around $2 billion to rework the factory and plans to hire 2,200 full-time workers.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
How does Marinakis avoid multi-club ownership troubles?
Uefa regulations around multi-club ownership and European competitions are in place to prevent the governing body's rulebook, a club is required to prove they are not "simultaneously involved in any capacity whatsoever in the management, administration, and/or sporting performance of more than one club participating in a Uefa club competition".Nottingham Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis, who also controls Greek side Olympiakos, avoided regulations around multi-club ownership by diluting his control of the Premier League side, which was announced in Textor took similar steps to help Crystal Palace's prospects of playing in the Europa League by agreeing to sell his stake to New York Jets owner Johnson in there were no sanctions to avoid and no case to answer for Forest - they fell short in their Champions League challenge and are therefore not in the same competition as Olympiakos.
