New EV sales take 22% market share

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has reported a modest 1.3% fall in the UK’s new car market in August.

It found that 84,575 units were registered during the month, with fleet purchases accounting for six in 10 sales.

Petrol and diesel uptake fell by 10.1% and 7.3% respectively, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) registrations declined 12.3% and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) uptake increased by 36.1%. Pure electric sales rose 10.8% to account for 22.6% of sales.

Meanwhile, the UK’s new light commercial vehicle was up 1.7% in the month, although BEV registrations fell for a third successive month, down 30.3% year on year.

Jamie Hamilton, Head of Electric Vehicles at Deloitte said: “In a role reversal for the month of August, fleet sales have seen a slight decrease while private sales remain steady. However, fleet sales continue to dominate in terms of market share.

“We expect September to be a better indicator of where the market stands with the new registration plates set to be introduced and a number of attractive incentives and discounts likely to be offered.

“As pressure mounts on the industry to sell more electric vehicles to meet the required 22% market share, as set out in the zero-emission vehicle mandate, we expect further incentives for drivers to be introduced, making the switch to electric easier. Growing confidence in the second-hand market for electric vehicles should provide more clarity on residuals which could support lower pricing of new vehicles. 

“Concerns around charging is still a major barrier to purchase for consumers without access to off-street parking, so efforts to rollout superfast charging infrastructure will be crucial in the growth of this developing market.”