With one-in-four new cars sold in the UK last year being fully electric, it’s fair to say that EVs are now commonplace on the nation’s driveways.
EVs are more attractive than ever to motorists and car dealers in 2026. John Hood, General Manager at Auction4Cars.com, shares four reasons why independent dealers should stock them to avoid missing out.
- Demand is growing
Demand for EVs varies depending on where you are in the UK. We can see a clear move towards EVs in certain areas, particularly cities with Clean Air Zones. It’s important to understand local buyers’ behaviour to see how in-demand EVs are in your area, and how big a business opportunity EVs can give you.
As well as regional demand, overall demand is growing from increased money-saving incentives. EV owners are saving money by charging their EVs since the sharp rise in fuel prices. Additional government support, like the EV grant, can save motorists up to £3,750 off the purchase price, too. It’s a few smaller things like these that can stack up and make a real difference to car owners deciding to switch.”
- Depreciation has stabilised
The data is clear – used EV sales keep growing. In 2025, used BEV sales grew to record numbers. It shows that EVs reaching price parity with their petrol and diesel counterparts is having a real difference on car buying decisions.
EV values decline more quickly in their first year but then stabilise in line with fuel-powered cars after about two or three years. This is how used EVs become a more attractive choice financially for car buyers today.”
- Charging infrastructure is improving
Public charging port access grew by a fifth in 2025 to meet increased demand from car owners. There’s still plenty more infrastructural growth planned to help increase EV adoption, which is a good sign for car dealers to keep investing in EVs.
More accessible charging means EVs are becoming a much easier sell. The money-saving aspect is a large appeal for motorists. A recent Motorpoint study found that three-fifths of EV owners have access to home charging. EV owners who can charge at home could save up to £1,000 a year, as energy prices at home are much lower than at public charging points.”
- A variety of stock matters
EVs don’t need to make up most of your stock to be profitable for your business. A mix of top-selling EVs with your traditional fuel vehicles lets you build up your confidence selling them if they’re a new addition to your stock. Then, you can scale your inventory accordingly following sales demand. The more choice you can offer car buyers, the more likely you are to have something for everybody.”
As demand rises and used EVs become more affordable, they can open new doors for your dealership. Looking ahead, we expect to see consumer misconceptions about EVs continue to ease, giving more dealers the confidence to treat EVs the same as petrol and diesel cars.”
For more information and to browse the hundreds of live auctions, visit: https://www.auction4cars.com/
