Used EV sales up 23% in Q3 2026 as one in 20 used buyers goes electric, but growth is slowing

Used electric car sales rose 23.2% in the third quarter of 2026, with 97,625 changing hands between July and September, according to the SMMT. That is 4.8% of the used market, about one buyer in 20, up from 3.9% a year earlier. In the first nine months of the year, 295,524 used EVs were sold, already more than in the whole of 2025.

For buyers, the more useful number is the slowdown. Growth has dropped from 67% in the spring to 23% now, fewer used EVs sold in Q3 than in Q2, and used hybrids grew faster than EVs. Demand is still rising and values are still edging up, so this is not a market turning against EVs. But the rush seen in the spring has eased, which matters if you are deciding when to buy.

What did the SMMT announce?

The SMMT’s figures, published on 9 November 2026, show 2,030,619 used cars changed hands in Q3, up 0.5% on the same quarter of 2025. The SMMT says that is the strongest Q3 since 2021, and that the market is on course for its best year since the pandemic. It was the second quarter of growth in a row, after a 0.2% dip in Q1.

Fuel type	Q3 2026 sales	Change on Q3 2025	Market share
Petrol	1,148,576	Down 271 cars	56.6%
Diesel	623,354	Down 5.3%	30.7%
Hybrid	135,204	Up 25.9%	6.7%
Battery electric	97,625	Up 23.2%	4.8%
Plug-in hybrid	20,911	Down 13.3%	1.0%
All used cars	2,030,619	Up 0.5%	100%

Source: SMMT, Q3 2026.

“Another quarter of growth means Britain’s used car market remains on course for its best year since the Covid-19 pandemic,” said Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive. “Long-term investment in new models is broadening choice for used car buyers, while growth in new EVs is driving a surge in second-hand uptake.”

Non-electrified cars, almost all of them petrol and diesel, still made up 87.5% of used car sales, down from 89.5% a year earlier. Hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery EVs together took the other 12.5%.

Are used EV sales slowing down?

The growth rate is. Here is how used battery EV sales have moved, quarter by quarter, in the SMMT’s releases:

Quarter	Used BEV sales	Growth on a year earlier	Share of used market
Q3 2025	80,614 (as first reported)	Up 44.4%	4.0%
Q1 2026	86,943	Up 32.0%	4.3%
Q2 2026	110,761	Up 67.0%	5.5%
Q3 2026	97,625	Up 23.2%	4.8%

Sources: SMMT quarterly releases of November 2025, May 2026, August 2026 and November 2026.

Two things stand out. First, 23.2% is the slowest growth in this run, below both Q1 and the 44.4% recorded a year ago. Second, the actual number of used EVs sold fell. On our calculation, 97,625 in Q3 against 110,761 in Q2 is a drop of about 13,100 cars, or 11.9%, while the overall used market grew by about 21,300 cars between the two quarters.

That is not how last year went. Working back from the growth rates the SMMT published, Q2 2025 had about 66,300 used EV sales and Q3 2025 about 79,200, so EV sales rose by roughly a fifth from spring to summer. This year they fell. These are our estimates from the SMMT’s own percentages, and they are approximate because the SMMT revises its history (more on that below).

The SMMT did not give a reason for the change. Q2 was exceptional: it came as pump prices rose sharply after the oil supply crisis that began in March, which we covered in our report on used EV values and diesel. A share of 4.8% in Q3 is lower than Q2’s 5.5% but well above anything before this year.

Why did hybrids grow faster than EVs?

Used hybrid sales rose 25.9% to 135,204, ahead of the 23.2% for battery EVs. Hybrids also start from a bigger base, so the gap in real cars is wider than the percentages suggest.

Our calculation, from the SMMT’s figures:

• Hybrids: 135,204 ÷ 1.259 = about 107,400 a year earlier, so about 27,800 extra hybrids were sold.
• Battery EVs: 97,625 ÷ 1.232 = about 79,200 a year earlier, so about 18,400 extra EVs were sold.

So for every three extra EVs sold, there were roughly four and a half extra hybrids. For buyers moving away from diesel, which fell 5.3%, a hybrid is often the easier step: no change to how you refuel and no need for a home charger. Our electric versus hybrid guide compares running costs if you are weighing both.

Plug-in hybrids went the other way, down 13.3% to 20,911. The SMMT notes this small segment is subject to volatility.

Has 2026 already beaten last year’s record?

Yes. The SMMT says 295,524 used battery EVs have changed hands so far this year, up 39.6%. The full-year total for 2025 was 274,815, itself a record, according to the SMMT’s February release. With a quarter still to go, 2026 is already about 20,700 cars, or 7.5%, ahead.

Where might the year end? Here is a rough estimate of our own, with the inputs stated:

• Q4 2025 used EV sales: the 2025 total of 274,815 minus the first nine months of 2025. That nine-month figure, worked back from this year’s 295,524 and 39.6% growth, is about 211,700, which leaves about 63,100 for Q4 2025.
• If Q4 2026 matches Q4 2025: 295,524 + 63,100 = about 358,600 for 2026.
• If Q4 2026 grows 23.2%, like Q3: about 77,800 in Q4, for a total of about 373,300.

So somewhere around 360,000 to 375,000 used EV sales in 2026 looks plausible, up roughly 30% to 36% on 2025. That is an estimate, not a forecast from the SMMT, and it would change if growth slows further or picks up again.

Why do the SMMT’s numbers for last year not match?

You may notice that Q3 2025 was first reported as 80,614 used EVs with a 4.0% share, but this week’s release gives a year-earlier share of 3.9%, and a 23.2% rise to 97,625 implies a base of about 79,200. The SMMT explains that its used car data comes from the DVLA, “which periodically revises historic data, resulting in variations in previously reported data”.

The same applies to this year: the three quarterly figures for 2026 add up to 295,329, slightly below the 295,524 year to date total in the latest release. The differences are small and do not change the picture, but they are why our worked figures above are rounded.

What is happening to used EV prices?

Prices are still rising slowly, which fits a market where demand has grown faster than supply. Solera Cap HPI says used EVs were the only fuel type to gain value in October, up 0.6%, or £70, at three years and 60,000 miles, while the whole market fell 1.7%, according to EV Fleet World. EVs also sold faster at retail, in 32 days on average against 35 for petrol and 38 for diesel.

Autotrader said used EV demand on its site was up 40% year on year in September, ahead of a 26% rise in supply, with average asking prices up 2.8% to £25,091, as Car Dealer Magazine reported. “Demand for electric cars is comfortably outpacing supply, supporting continued price growth,” said Marc Palmer of Autotrader.

Slower sales growth in Q3 could take some heat out of that, though it is too early to say. EV Fleet World’s report says used values may come under further pressure as wholesale supply grows towards the year end. We set out the wider picture, including the case for a used EV grant, in our report on used EV demand.

Where are the used EVs coming from?

Mostly from new car sales a few years ago. The SMMT links used EV growth to investment in new models filtering through to the second-hand market, and says that “accelerating the used market’s EV transition depends on a healthy new car market”. It argues that heavy discounting of new EVs to meet ZEV mandate targets is not sustainable, and wants the mandate reformed.

For buyers, those new car discounts cut both ways. They hold down what people will pay for nearly new used EVs, but they also mean that a two-year-old EV should be checked against the price of the same car new with offers. Our analysis of year-end ZEV mandate discounts explains why makers are cutting prices.

The SMMT’s top 10 used models covers all fuel types, and no battery EV makes the list. The Ford Fiesta leads with 73,500 sales, ahead of the Vauxhall Corsa (60,088) and Volkswagen Golf (56,243). The SMMT does not publish a separate used EV top 10 in this release.

Is now a good time to buy a used EV?

If a used EV suits how you drive, the figures give no strong reason to wait. Prices are rising, but slowly, and there is more choice than ever. Practical steps:

• Set your budget first. Our guide to the best used EVs to buy in 2026 is ranked by price, and our used EVs under £15,000 guide covers the cheaper end.
• Families: our used electric SUVs guide covers the bigger cars. The Hyundai Ioniq 5 was named Used Car of the Year by Auto Express, from about £13,000, as we report in our Used Car of the Year story.
• Check the battery. Ask for an independent report. Our guide to getting a battery health certificate explains what to look for.
• Use a checklist. Our 15-point used EV buying checklist covers cables, warranty and software.
• Think about charging. A used EV is the best value if you can charge at home. If you cannot, a used hybrid may cost less overall.

Our view

Used EVs are still growing, still gaining value and are already past last year’s record total. But the spring surge has faded, and in Q3 hybrids added more buyers than EVs did. That suggests the jump in Q2 was partly a reaction to fuel prices rather than a new normal. For buyers, a steadier market is no bad thing: less pressure to rush, prices that are rising gently rather than sharply, and more cars to choose from. Judge a used EV on its battery health, its price against the new equivalent and whether you can charge at home.