Produced by Activate Group in collaboration with Gecko Risk.
Welcome to the latest edition of the quarterly Charge Up report from Activate Group, the leading UK collision management business, and Gecko Risk, EV data specialists. The report brings regular insights into the state of electric vehicle (EV) repair in the UK.
As we head into 2026, the EV policy environment in the UK is evolving, with Electric Vehicle Excise Duty announced in the Autumn Budget and set to begin in April 2028. This pay-per-mile charge will see EV drivers pay around 3p per mile (and plug-in hybrid drivers around 1.5p per mile) on top of existing vehicle excise duty. This shift reflects the government’s effort to replace declining fossil fuel duty as EV adoption increases.
Across the Channel, European Union emissions policy looks set to step back from an outright ban on petrol and diesel vehicles by 2035 to a more nuanced approach, targeting large reductions in tailpipe emissions while allowing ICE vehicle sales to continue beyond the original cut-off date.
The UK EV parc continues to expand rapidly, with almost 2 million EVs registered by the end of 2025 (1,950,709). This milestone underlines how decisively EVs have moved from early adoption into the mainstream vehicle fleet.
502,535 EVs were registered in 2025, up 24% year-on-year.
Tesla retained its position as the highest-selling EV manufacturer of all time and once again led the market in 2025. However, registrations were down year on year, highlighting a more competitive landscape rather than weakening demand.
One of the most notable market developments was the rapid ascent of new manufacturers. Chinese EV makers, including BYD and others, are accelerating efforts to expand into the UK market. BYD has even made the UK its largest overseas market outside China, with sales surging and a growing dealer network across the country.
Top 10 EV Manufacturers by UK Vehicle Registrations – 2025
| Manufacturer | 2025 EV Registrations | |
| 1 | TESLA | 45,513 |
| 2 | VOLKSWAGEN | 39,827 |
| 3 | FORD | 36,856 |
| 4 | BMW | 33,969 |
| 5 | AUDI | 30,957 |
| 6 | BYD | 30,285 |
| 7 | SKODA | 22,654 |
| 8 | KIA | 21,934 |
| 9 | MERCEDES-BENZ | 20,886 |
| 10 | RENAULT | 20,660 |
The UK EV market’s rapid growth and shifting competition are increasingly influencing second-hand adoption and residual values as EVs become more mainstream.
James Fisher, Managing Director, Gecko Risk said: “The second-hand market has been inundated with EVs due to the greater volume of cars coming off lease. This means that residual values are being forced down, which in turn opens the door for new demographics of drivers who previously thought they could not afford to buy an EV.”
The average EV repair cost for 2025 was £3,375, down 4.6% year on year.
This downward trend is reflected throughout 2025, with the average repair cost for Q4 2025 dropping to £3,301.
This reduction has been driven by lower costs across parts, labour, and other associated expenses, while paint costs have remained broadly stable.
“The falling average repair costs for EVs are a clear sign of a maturing market,” said Mark Johnstone, Managing Director of Avant Consult (part of Activate Group). “Unlike ICE vehicles, where repair costs have risen slightly year on year, EVs are benefiting from growing repair expertise, and an increasing number of more affordable models on the road.”
Among the five most popular EV manufacturers in 2025, Audi recorded the highest average repair costs in Q4, closely followed by Tesla and BMW. In contrast, Volkswagen and Ford demonstrated lower average repair costs, aligning with their broader vehicle affordability profiles.
Analysis of the repair cost breakdown shows that parts make up the largest proportion of EV repair costs on average. However, Tesla continues to buck this trend, with labour costs exceeding parts costs – a pattern likely driven by specialist repair requirements and manufacturer-specific processes.
As the UK enters 2026, the EV market is showing clear signs of maturity. Volumes continue to rise, competition is intensifying, and repair costs are trending down rather than up. Unlike internal combustion vehicles, where repair costs have increased year-on-year, the fall in average EV repair costs reflects growing market expertise, and a higher number of more affordable models on the road.
With a broader mix of manufacturers, improving cost predictability, and a growing second-hand market, EVs will present a more stable and manageable proposition for insurers, fleets, and repair networks looking ahead into 2026.
About Activate Group
Activate Group and its subsidiaries provide end-to-end accident management solutions to insurers, fleet providers, TPAs and brokers. The group provides claims management to corporate and commercial fleets through sopp+sopp, operates an approved nationwide repair network for personal lines insurance claims through Motor Repair Network and Avant Repair Network. The business also supplies next-day parts and consumables through Activate Parts, runs its own body shop division, Activate Accident Repair, and manages paint and body programmes on behalf of the UK’s leading vehicle manufacturers through Avant Consult. Activate Group is based in the UK and employs more than 900 people.
About Gecko Risk
Gecko Risk are the UK’s most powerful New Energy Vehicle data platform. Gecko enables the mobility sector to make informed decisions, based on real data, to help their businesses evolve profitably. Their data set includes a complete understanding of the number of vehicles on the road, plus over 1 million rows of accident data (90% of all NEV accidents dated from 2019). All data is updated monthly.