Price of second hand Hybrid and electric cars

[Alex321]

Which is fine, but you don't do that when only 26% of new sales are BEVs. You get that figure up FIRST, otherwise people go back to ICE or PHEV.

That is why they are starting it at only 3p/mile, and not until April 2028.

And actually, in October it was 32.0% - it is rising fast, I expect them to overtake petrol by March, possibly earlier.

 

[ivegotabike]

I found this summary to be quite interesting - it is from July 2026

https://yijinsolution.com/industry-insights/ev-manufacturing-statistics/

A couple of points mentioned

China built 16 million electric cars in 2025, nearly 75% of global production, and produced more than 80% of the world's battery cells.

The total production of 22 million was an increase of over 25% versus 2024.

Chinese labour cost per vehicle averages $585 against $2,232 at European premium OEMS. Chinese LFP battery packs run roughly €64/kWh against €82/kWh for NMC packs made elsewhere. That makes for a combined cost advantage of €2k - €4k per vehicle.

Mexican EV output doubled in 2024.

 

[biggs682]

That is why they are starting it at only 3p/mile, and not until April 2028.

And actually, in October it was 32.0% - it is rising fast, I expect them to overtake petrol by March, possibly earlier.

View attachment 826558

I wonder how many of these sales are private purchases rather than company ones ?

 

[Alex321]

I wonder how many of these sales are private purchases rather than company ones ?

From the same page (different tab)
https://www.smmt.co.uk/vehicle-data/car-registrations/

It doesn't break down purchase type by fuel type

 

[ivegotabike]

The other thing we Brits have to have in mind is that our market is becoming less significant. If the broader global market continues to want EVs, that is where manufacturers will invest their design, development and production efforts. ICE, RHD cars in specs that would appeal to UK drivers could become an almost inconsequential niche in the overall market. That isn't going to happen next week, but the new car sales numbers tell a story:

In 2025, new car sales in the UK were just over 2m. That made the UK the 7th largest market. Ahead of it were Brazil (2.5m), Germany (2.9m), India (4.5m), Japan (4.5m), USA (16.4m) and China (34.4m)

 

[biggs682]

From the same page (different tab)
https://www.smmt.co.uk/vehicle-data/car-registrations/

It doesn't break down purchase type by fuel type

View attachment 826570

Wow that's a lot of private purchases

 

[ivegotabike]

Wow that's a lot of private purchases

The trend is gradually down, but there are spikes here and there

 

[icowden]

The other thing we Brits have to have in mind is that our market is becoming less significant. <snip>

In 2025, new car sales in the UK were just over 2m. That made the UK the 7th largest market.

Which is it? Less significant or the world's 7th largest market?

 

[ivegotabike]

Which is it? Less significant or the world's 7th largest market?

Well, given that:

- The UK is a smaller market than it was 10 years ago
- The largest market has grown by ~50% in the same period (it has grown by 10m units per year or, in other words, 5 UKs per year)
- The 6 larger markets add up to 65.2m (i.e over 32x more than the UK)

I think my description "becoming less significant" is accurate, isn't it?

 

[Jameshow]

From the same page (different tab)
https://www.smmt.co.uk/vehicle-data/car-registrations/

It doesn't break down purchase type by fuel type

View attachment 826570

Basically 60 / 40 so second hand buyers get what the fleet buy....

The other thing we Brits have to have in mind is that our market is becoming less significant. If the broader global market continues to want EVs, that is where manufacturers will invest their design, development and production efforts. ICE, RHD cars in specs that would appeal to UK drivers could become an almost inconsequential niche in the overall market. That isn't going to happen next week, but the new car sales numbers tell a story:

In 2025, new car sales in the UK were just over 2m. That made the UK the 7th largest market. Ahead of it were Brazil (2.5m), Germany (2.9m), India (4.5m), Japan (4.5m), USA (16.4m) and China (34.4m)

https://www.google.com/search?q=cou...-mobile&source=chrome.ob&ie=UTF-8#lfId=ChxjMe

Rhd cars make up approx 30% of the market.

So car makers will be providing the cars to those markets. The car market is a global market with cars designed for all markets (apart from cheaper cars for local markets)

 

[vickster]

Wow that's a lot of private purchases

many will be PCP or lease though (although the latter might be under fleet?)

 

[Bonefish Blues]

many will be PCP or lease though (although the latter might be under fleet?)

My Tesla would be exactly that latter case

 

[biggs682]

many will be PCP or lease though (although the latter might be under fleet?)

That was my thoughts as well , I bet there's not many traditional cash purchases these days

 

[icowden]

- The UK is a smaller market than it was 10 years ago

Eh? In 2016 the adult population was estimated to be 41.4 million. It's now 55.2 million. We are buying fewer cars than in 2016, but that was pretty much a peak, and we have since had COVID, the Ukraine War and changes in interest rates, inflation etc. Sales have been increasing year on year since the pandemic drop.

- The largest market has grown by ~50% in the same period (it has grown by 10m units per year or, in other words, 5 UKs per year)

Well yes. It's very big and the cars are subsidised by the Chinese Govt.

- The 6 larger markets add up to 65.2m (i.e over 32x more than the UK)

Are we supposed to be surprised that massive countries with huge populations are much larger markets? The top 3 are China, the US and India. All vast places with huge populations. Japan is next, then Germany and Brazil.

I think my description "becoming less significant" is accurate, isn't it?

Accurate, but a little misleading. The only change since 2016 is that India and Brazil have clearly become more affluent whilst the UK is still recovering from the pandemic and the supply problems caused by the Ukraine war.

For BEVs the UK is the third largest market in the world.

 

[ivegotabike]

Eh? In 2016 the adult population was estimated to be 41.4 million. It's now 55.2 million. We are buying fewer cars than in 2016, but that was pretty much a peak, and we have since had COVID, the Ukraine War and changes in interest rates, inflation etc. Sales have been increasing year on year since the pandemic drop.

Well yes. It's very big and the cars are subsidised by the Chinese Govt.

Are we supposed to be surprised that massive countries with huge populations are much larger markets? The top 3 are China, the US and India. All vast places with huge populations. Japan is next, then Germany and Brazil.

Accurate, but a little misleading. The only change since 2016 is that India and Brazil have clearly become more affluent whilst the UK is still recovering from the pandemic and the supply problems caused by the Ukraine war.

For BEVs the UK is the third largest market in the world.

Fair points.

I think the UK is more likely to drop out of the top 10 than to climb into the top 5.

Though there might be an upward spike in sales if the UK government comes up with another scrappage type scheme, or if the car finance mis-selling money is a significant chunk.

On the other side of the equation, UK production numbers are down by over 50% in the last decade.

Is it even possible that the UK will ever produce 1m cars, or more, in a year?

AIUI BEVs are <15% of UK production.