Octopus unveils the most popular electric cars as Chinese brands secure mass UK support

Octopus has revealed the five most popular electric vehicles of the last three months, as lesser-known Chinese brands dominate compared to other established brands.In the second quarter of the year, Octopus Electric Vehicles found that the Tesla Model Y was the most popular electric vehicle among customers.Tesla confirmed significant changes to the popular Model Y last year to several of its key selling points, including the battery, range and design.The Rear-Wheel Drive model offers 323 WLTP miles with 19-inch wheels, while the Long Range Rear-Wheel Drive offers an impressive 466 miles with 18-inch wheels and 410 miles with 19-inch wheels. TRENDING Stories Videos Your Say Tesla remains one of the most popular brands for drivers, despite a slight drop in favour among new customers last year, as a result of CEO Elon Musk's political involvement.The Tesla Model Y was also the best-selling vehicle in June, according to fresh data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).It outlined that the 6,765 Model Ys were sold in the UK last month, propelling it to the tenth most popular vehicle of the year, with a total of 15,341 registrations.Despite only launching in February, the Leapmotor B10 and Vauxhall Frontera have quickly surged into the top five most popular electric vehicles of Q2 2026, in second and fifth, respectively.Eurig Druce, group managing director of Stellantis UK, said Leapmotor, which is under the Stellantis umbrella, had a great first year in the UK.In June 2026, the manufacturer achieved a one per cent share of the new car market and three per cent of the new electric vehicle market.The Chinese automaker has recorded more than 11,000 registrations since launching in the UK last year, with 6,770 in the year-to-date.The B10 comes equipped with a 67.1kWh battery, with up to 270 miles of electric battery range and a £30,495 price tag.LATEST DEVELOPMENTSBritish drivers could face £1,000 fine if they own a petrol or diesel car under new plansElectric bike safety fears laid bare as Britons warn 'dangerous' vehicles should be bannedMini, Ford, Tesla and more dominate UK's best-selling cars in June - full listMr Druce added: It's clear that high specification, innovative technology and great value are a winning combination with UK car buyers.He added that Vauxhall had been ahead of the curve on the move to electric vehicles, with all of its cars offered as an EV or a hybrid for some time.The New Frontera Electric builds on that experience by offering a functional and spacious family SUV with first-in-industry pricing where the electric versions are actually lower priced than the hybrid ones, Mr Druce said.Two Chery brands placed in third and fourth place, with the Jaecoo E5 and Omoda E5 capturing the attention of many drivers in the last three months.It comes as electric vehicles made up 30 per cent of the new car market in June, a stunning 37 per cent year-on-year increase, according to New AutoMotive's Electric Car Count.Commenting on future results, Alvin Castillo, procurement director at Octopus Electric Vehicles, said new brands were competing on quality, value and innovation, prompting the impressive sales records.He added: In Q3, we'll see exciting developments with premium new entrants like the Denza Z9 GT bring game-changing technology such as nine-minute flash charging, while brands like Lepas and Volkswagen's ID.Polo will add even more choice for drivers.The market is moving fast - especially with brands pushing hard on innovation, quality and value. That's great news for consumers, because it means better cars, better tech and better prices. Our Standards: The GB News Editorial Charter