⚡ The short version
The AA’s UK EV Readiness Index has reached 60 out of 100 for the first time, up from 58.8 in Q2 2026 — a fourth consecutive quarterly improvement. The average used EV now costs just 1% more than an equivalent petrol car, down from 3% three months earlier. Chinese brands took 15.8% of UK new car sales in August, almost three times their share a year earlier. Charging at home remains 66% cheaper per mile than petrol, but ultra-rapid public charging is still around 15% more expensive.
For the first time since the AA began publishing its UK EV Readiness Index, the score has crossed 60 out of 100. The Q3 2026 edition, published on 25 September, rose from 58.8 in the second quarter and marks the fourth quarterly increase in a row. It is a milestone rather than a finish line: the AA was quick to point out that a score of 60 means significant barriers remain before an electric car is the obvious choice for every driver.
The index is one of the more useful single measures of how easy it is to run an EV in Britain, because it does not simply count sales. It tracks eight factors that decide whether a driver can realistically switch — purchase price, charging costs, charging availability, insurance, maintenance, running costs and roadside assistance data among them. Here is what moved this quarter, and what it means if you are weighing up an electric car now.
What the EV Readiness Index actually measures
The AA builds the score from hard data rather than sentiment: the price gap between electric and petrol cars, the price of electricity against the price of fuel, the density and reliability of the charging network, insurance premiums, servicing and maintenance costs, and how often its own patrols are called out to electric vehicles.
That mix matters, because the headline barrier for most buyers is not the car itself but the cost of the whole package. A cheap EV with expensive insurance and no driveway can end up costing more per mile than a petrol hatchback. Conversely, a driver who can charge overnight at home is already running a car for a fraction of the cost of petrol. The index captures both sides of that equation, which is why it moves slowly and, when it does move, usually reflects something structural.
Chinese brands are doing the heavy lifting
The single biggest driver of the improvement is competition from Chinese manufacturers. Chinese brands accounted for 15.8% of UK new vehicle sales in August 2026, almost three times the 5.5% share they held a year earlier. That influx has pushed prices down, broadened the choice of affordable models and forced established brands to respond.
Attitudes are shifting with the metal. In a survey of 10,594 AA members, more than a quarter said they would consider a Chinese-made car, while 42% said they would not — including 16% who said they would “never” buy one. Age is the dividing line: 40% of 18–24 year olds would consider a Chinese car, against 22% of those aged 65–74. Almost half of respondents (47%) said more competition between Chinese and established brands benefits buyers.
Reservations remain. Only 3% of drivers believe data captured by a vehicle would be handled better and more safely by a Chinese manufacturer than an established brand, and a quarter think traditional brands still build better quality cars — though 66% say they are unsure, and 77% have no view at all on whether Chinese cars are safer. As we reported in our coverage of the rise of Chinese brands in Europe, price is winning the argument faster than reputation is being settled.
The used EV price gap has almost disappeared
The most striking number in the report is about used cars. On average, a new EV costs 25% more than an equivalent petrol car, down slightly from 26% in Q2. In the used market, the gap has narrowed to 1%, from 3% in the previous quarter.
In practice, that means the price premium that used to sit on second-hand electric cars has effectively gone. For anyone who has been waiting for a used EV to look like value rather than a statement, the crossover has arrived. Mileage and battery condition still drive value far more than they do on a petrol car, so it pays to understand what you are buying — our guide to reading an SoH report before you buy explains the one number that matters most, and the BVRLA’s new MOT analysis (covered in our piece on how durable high-mileage EVs really are) shows that high mileage is a much smaller risk than buyers assume.
Home charging versus the public network
Fuel prices did the EV case no harm over the summer. Petrol averaged 161.5p a litre in Q3 2026, up from 159.6p at the end of May and 132.5p in February. Against that backdrop, electricity remained 66% cheaper per mile than petrol for drivers who can charge at home.
The picture flips on the public network. Ultra-rapid public charging stayed around 15% more expensive per mile than petrol, so a driver without off-street parking — and without access to cheaper workplace or destination charging — can end up paying more per mile than they would in a petrol car. That gap is the central fairness issue in UK EV policy, and it is why the difference between home and public charging costs deserves more attention than any spec sheet.
Breakdowns: EVs are fixed at the roadside more often
Reliability data continues to favour electric cars. AA patrols fixed 88.1% of EV callouts at the roadside, compared with 83.5% of petrol vehicle callouts. Running out of charge accounted for just 1.3% of EV callouts — a useful corrective to the idea that flat batteries are the defining risk of electric ownership.
Why the ZEV mandate review matters to this number
The AA used the report to press for certainty over the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, which the government is reviewing. The current trajectory requires 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans to be zero-emission by 2030, rising to 100% in 2035, with 33% required in 2026. Battery-electric cars took roughly 30% of August registrations, so the industry is close to — but still short of — this year’s target.
AA president Edmund King said the transition “will work when consumers want and are able to make the switch”, and that manufacturers and drivers need “a clear direction of travel”. The consultation closes on 23 October 2026; our explainer on the ZEV mandate review sets out what could change. A weaker mandate would slow the flow of affordable models that has pushed the Readiness Index up in the first place.
What it means for buyers this week
A readiness score of 60 is not a green light for everyone. It is a signal that the arithmetic now works for more drivers than it did a year ago, and that the deciding factor has shifted from the car to the charging.
Before you commit, run your own numbers. The charging cost calculator compares home, public and rapid charging against your mileage, the VED calculator shows what road tax will cost from the second year, and the car comparison tool puts rivals side by side. Check what is actually available near you on the charging points map, browse the electric car library for specifications, and if you are still deciding between a hybrid and a full EV, read why most of Britain’s best-selling plug-in hybrids cannot use a rapid charger.
Sources
The AA — UK EV Readiness Index, Q3 2026, 25 September 2026 (theaa.com) · Transport + Energy — EV readiness shoots up as Chinese cars shake up UK market, 25 September 2026 (https://transportandenergy.com/2026/09/25/ev-readiness-shoots-up-as-chinese-cars-shake-up-uk-market/) · Industry News — Used EV prices close gap on petrol as AA readiness rises, 25 September 2026 (https://industry-news.biz/used-ev-prices-close-gap-on-petrol-as-aa-readiness-rises/) · Bodyshop Magazine — AA UK EV Readiness Index reaches new high, 25 September 2026 (https://www.bodyshopmag.com/2026/news/aa-uk-ev-readiness-index-reaches-new-high/) · Carbon Brief analysis of DESNZ fuel price data, 24 September 2026 · GOV.UK — Zero Emission Vehicle mandate consultation, closing 23 October 2026.
