What are the UK's most popular private EVs and their locations

Automotive experts Cap hpi have announced the UK’s top five locations for EV ownership.

Reading in Berkshire secured the spot as the most popular location for privately registered electric vehicles with 8,697 BEVs registered in 2024. In close second was Guildford in Surrey, while Birmingham took third place. London and Edinburgh came in fourth and fifth

“Our data analysis provides a snapshot of the UK hotspots where BEVs are proving most popular, with Reading in the driving seat,” said Matt Freeman, managing consultant at Cap hpi. “Drivers are increasingly considering a used electric vehicle as their next car. Sales of used electric cars were over 70% higher in the first quarter of 2024 than in the same period last year.”

Cap hpi’s data also shared the most popular BEV models across the UK. Top of the leaderboard is the Nissan Leaf, closely followed by the Tesla Model 3 and the Renault Zoe.

The top ten most popular privately purchased EVs in the UK are as follows:

1. Nissan Leaf – 39,421 
2. Tesla Model 3 – 39,263
3. Renault Zoe – 20,784 
4. Tesla Model Y – 18,720
5. KIA Niro – 17,461
6. Volkswagen ID3 – 15,789
7. MG ZS – 13,916
8. MINI Hatch – 13,529
9. Jaguar I-Pace – 13,123
10. BMW i3 – 12,859

Alice Bollard