Tesla is showing signs of a rebound in the UK, with sales rising 12% year-over-year (YoY) in June 2025, driven largely by the launch of the refreshed Model Y. The midsize electric SUV was the third best-selling car overall in the country for the month, and the top-performing battery electric vehicle (BEV).
According to new industry data from The Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT), Tesla sold 7,719 vehicles in June, up from 7,019 a year earlier. Of those, 4,181 were the new Model Y, which arrived on UK shores last month.
The Model Y wasn’t Tesla’s only strong performer. The Model 3 also made the UK’s top 10 list in June, ranking sixth overall with 3,538 units registered. Together, both models accounted for a substantial share of the UK’s growing EV market.
More broadly, June was a strong month for electric vehicles in Britain. New car registrations climbed 6.7% year-over-year to 191,316 units—the best June since 2019. BEV sales rose by 39.1% to 47,354 units, making up 24.8% of the overall market. Plug-in hybrid (PHEV) registrations also rose 28.8%, although hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) declined slightly.
Despite Tesla’s bounce-back in June, the company’s UK sales are down nearly 2% year-to-date, following a steep 45% decline in May. Meanwhile, competition is intensifying. Chinese automaker BYD has quadrupled its UK sales this year, hitting 2,498 units in June alone. Ford, too, is gaining ground with more than a fourfold increase in EV sales in the first half of 2025, led by models like the Mustang Mach-E.
Industry observers point to end-of-quarter delivery peaks—timed with shipments from Tesla’s Giga Berlin factory—as a key factor behind the June surge. Many of the registrations last month were also pre-orders for the upgraded Model Y.
For Tesla, the June recovery in the UK offers a glimmer of hope amid a wave of European sales challenges. But sustaining momentum will require staying ahead in a crowded and cost-sensitive market. The refreshed Model Y may be a step in the right direction, but the real test will be maintaining strong performance into the second half of the year.
