EVs: UK Tesla numbers treble in a year, Milton Keynes has more than anywhere

12 November 2020  

 Garages looking at the prospects for electric cars in the near future may want to consider the popularity of the biggest EV halo brands, and one study has found that the number of Tesla cars in the UK has jumped by 336% in the space of a year, with the biggest concentration found in Milton Keynes

The study, from accountancy group UHY Hacker Young found that the numbers of Teslas went from 27,000 to 90,900 over the last 12 months.

While Tesla’s move from niche carmaker to mass-market manufacturer continues, ownership of EVs across the board increased by 61% during the period.

Tesla’s popularity has been helped by the June 2019 launch of the Model 3 – its first mid-market model, priced at £40,000, which was the UK’s top-selling car in April 2020, as Tesla’s Coronavirus-proof online sales model went up against traditional car dealerships that were forced to close.

The top two Tesla hotspots in the UK are Milton Keynes which has 193 Teslas per 100,000 people and Stirling, Scotland which has 150 Teslas per 100,000 people. Following Milton Keynes and Stirling on the league table are Derby with 146, Hertfordshire on 12) and Windsor and Maidenhead at 118.

Top ten local authorities for number of Teslas per 100,000 people in the UK  

1 Milton Keynes                  193

2 Stirling                            150

3 Derby                             146

4 Hertfordshire                   128

5 Windsor and Maidenhead  118

6 Derbyshire                       112

7 Buckinghamshire             110

8 Wokingham                     109

9 West Berkshire                 91

10 Renfrewshire                  90   

David Kendrick, Partner at UHY Hacker Young, says: “Milton Keynes is a great example of a town that makes electric vehicle ownership accessible. A lack of public charging points is one of the big barriers to adoption for many consumers. Milton Keynes shows what happens when a town prioritises provision of that vital infrastructure, it is a model that other local authorities may follow.”   “Stirling is a Tesla hot spot, which may come as a surprise to some. Its proximity to both Glasgow and Edinburgh has made it a real pocket of wealth, with a lot of affluent commuters choosing Teslas for their journeys into the cities.”

David added: “many ‘early adopter’ Tesla owners are now replacing their cars with newer models and older models are entering the used market, driving up the number on the road in the UK.”