Diesel drivers are facing rising costs at the forecourt as prices surge to £2 per litre, while a fresh wave of electric vehicles is competing fiercely for British motorists' attention. Octopus Electric Vehicles, the UK's largest EV-only leasing firm, has unveiled its five top-selling electric cars for Q3, highlighting the rapid evolution of the market.
OMODA E5 Takes the Lead
Four of the five cars that featured in the Q2 top five have retained their places, but every single one has shifted position. The standout performer is the OMODA E5, climbing from fourth place to claim the top spot. It is trailed by the JAECOO E5 and Leapmotor B10, while the Tesla Model Y drops to fourth position. The MG4 Urban makes a storming entry into the top five at fifth.
Advances from manufacturers are widening the choice available to drivers, who now have an ever-growing selection of electric cars competing for their custom.
Diesel Costs Climb
While the electric car rankings continue to shift, diesel drivers are confronting an entirely different struggle. With diesel hovering at around £2 a litre, filling a typical 55-litre family car now sets drivers back approximately £110. That works out at roughly 16.5p per mile.
A long-range EV with a 109kWh battery, by contrast, can cost as little as £8 to charge on a smart EV tariff – or around 2p a mile, or roughly 9x less. This comes as Britain's hunger for electric vehicles is rapidly increasing.
Record EV Sales
New AutoMotive data reveals that 100,000 electric cars were registered in September, with sales surging 37% year on year. It marked a record month for EVs and for Octopus Electric Vehicles, which witnessed growth outpacing the market by 3 times in September.
The outcome is a market heading in two distinct directions: diesel is becoming increasingly costly, while demand for EVs continues to rise, with intense competition broadening the options available to drivers.
Top Five Most Popular EVs – Q3 2026
Octopus Electric Vehicles' top five most popular EVs for Q3 2026 are: 1) OMODA E5, 2) JAECOO E5, 3) Leapmotor B10, 4) Tesla Model Y, 5) MG4 Urban.
Just outside the top ten, European manufacturers are also leaving their mark, with models including the Citroën C3 Aircross, Vauxhall Frontera and Renault 5 drawing considerable interest. Chinese brands may be introducing fresh rivalry, but European manufacturers are hitting back with their own innovations – offering drivers greater choice across an expanding range of price points, particularly within the popular small-car segment.
Alvin Castillo, Procurement Director at Octopus Electric Vehicles, said: "Diesel is getting more expensive while electric cars are becoming more competitive. Chinese brands are shaking up the market, but Europe is fighting back with exciting new models like the Renault 5. That's great news for drivers, with more choice, better value and innovation coming from every direction."
Castillo added: "Drivers are shopping across a much wider range of manufacturers than they were even a couple of years ago. Established household names are competing with brands that are relatively new to the UK, and that competition is pushing everyone to deliver better technology, more equipment and better value."
"That's ultimately brilliant news for drivers. While the cost of sticking with diesel keeps climbing, the choice available to people considering an EV keeps getting better."
Looking Towards Q4 2026
Reflecting on expectations for the final quarter of the year, Castillo remarked: "The pace isn't slowing down. We're seeing more models, more technology and more competition coming into the market, and that gives drivers more reasons to take another look at electric."
"The big change is that choosing an EV is becoming less about whether there's a car that works for you and increasingly about which one you want. With fuel costs putting more pressure on household budgets, that breadth of choice is only going to become more important."
