A record-breaking 42 million vehicles were on UK roads last year, and Scotland is playing its part in driving the electric revolution.
More than 1.3 million electric cars are now on British roads, as ownership surged by nearly 39% in 2024.
Electric vehicles now make up 3.7% of all cars in use, a leap forward in the journey towards net zero.
Scots are increasingly swapping petrol for plugs, with electric car ownership steadily growing north of the border.
Plug-in vehicles, including hybrids, now total over two million across the UK, making up 5.1% of the entire fleet.
While petrol cars still rule the roads with 21 million, diesel continues to drop, falling to 11.6 million after another year of decline.
In Scotland, the government’s commitment to phase out new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 is accelerating change.
However, the rise of electric cars comes as the average age of vehicles increases to a record 9.5 years.
Many Scots are keeping their cars longer, with over 43% of vehicles across the UK now more than ten years old.
Fleet emissions have dipped by 1.6%, a sign that newer, greener vehicles are gradually replacing older polluters.
Company cars led the way in cleaning up, slashing emissions by 5.6% thanks to tax breaks and wider EV options.
Private car emissions dropped just 1%, showing more support is needed to help drivers make the electric switch.
Van numbers hit an all-time high at 5.1 million, with electric van ownership jumping over 30%.
Electric buses saw the sharpest rise, up 82%, with more cities across Scotland introducing zero-emission fleets.
Electric trucks remain rare, making up less than 0.1% of all HGVs on the road.
Superminis are still Scotland’s favourite car type, thanks to their compact size and versatility.
German cars are most common across the UK, followed by UK-made and Spanish models, with more Chinese imports creeping in.
Black cars remain the top colour on Scottish roads, while automatic gearboxes are becoming the norm with the rise of EVs.
Manual cars are slipping away, down 2.6% as drivers switch to newer models with less gear-changing hassle.
The Central Belt is leading Scotland’s electric transition, with EV numbers growing fastest in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
More women across the UK are now registered car owners, with female ownership up by 4% in five years.
Company cars are driving the EV market, with nearly 60% of electric vehicles in business hands.
The Ford Fiesta is still Britain’s most popular car, but more Scots are looking to the future with EVs like the MG4 and Hyundai Ioniq.
White vans still dominate across Scotland, but there’s no shortage of blue ones for any Scooby-Doo enthusiasts on the go.
Scotland is well on the road to cleaner transport, but bolder action will be needed to keep momentum building.
