Leasing enquiries for electrified vehicles have surged in the United Kingdom, with recent data showing that almost two‑thirds of all searches now involve battery‑electric or hybrid models.
Electrified cars lead the leasing market
According to the latest ranking figures from a major leasing comparison platform, 63.3 percent of all recent enquiries featured an electric or hybrid model. Fully electric options alone accounted for 41.6 percent of searches between May and July 2026, while hybrids made up 21.7 percent. The same source notes that interest in these categories has almost doubled compared with the same period in 2024.
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Mike Fazal, chief executive of the leasing site, said, “Four in ten leasing enquiries are now for fully electric cars, while more than 63 percent are for electric or hybrid models. That shows just how quickly interest in electrified vehicles is growing.”
Popular models shape the market
The Vauxhall Frontera emerged as the most searched‑for electric SUV, representing 12.3 percent of all EV queries. It was followed by the sporty Abarth 600e SUV at 6.0 percent and the BYD Seal with 5.1 percent. On the hybrid side, the Jaecoo 7 SUV led with 10.2 percent of hybrid‑related searches, helping its maker reach the milestone of 100,000 UK sales.
Other notable hybrid contenders included the Hyundai Santa Fe at 7.2 percent and BYD’s Sealion 5 with 6.2 percent. The data also highlights a rising curiosity about new‑entrant Chinese manufacturers, whose models are appearing more frequently in the rankings.
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Convertible interest spikes despite limited options
Summer heat appears to have driven a sharp rise in open‑top sports‑car searches, with enquiries jumping 397 percent over the same period last year. Despite the surge, the market remains concentrated: five models account for more than 90 percent of convertible queries. The Mazda MX‑5 dominates with a 42.2 percent share, while the Abarth 500 and the electric MG Cyberster trail behind.
Fazal added, “Our summer data also highlights a clear gap in the market. Convertible searches quadrupled, yet with the Mazda MX‑5 and Abarth 500 accounting for nearly three‑quarters of enquiries, affordable electric convertibles remain largely unavailable to buyers.”