Automobile gross sales fell 2.5% in January, the fourth consecutive month of decline. Registrations by each fleet and personal patrons have been down within the month, by -3.7% and -0.5% respectively.
Petrol automobile registrations dropped by -15.3% to comprise simply over half (50.3%) the market, with diesel down -7.7% to assert a 6.2% share, in response to figures from the Society of Motor Producers & Merchants (SMMT).
Each hybrid electrical automobiles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) recorded quantity development and noticed their market shares rise to 13.2% and 9.0% respectively.
Battery electrical automobile (BEV) registrations, in the meantime, continued current development developments, with volumes up by 41.6% 12 months on 12 months to take a 21.3% market share.
The SMMT stated that regardless of the rise within the month, BEV market share nonetheless stays in need of the 22% goal set by authorities for final 12 months, and even additional behind the 28% requirement for 2025.
It added that this hole between demand and ambition is why the overview of the Car Emissions Buying and selling Scheme and its flexibilities was “essential.”
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief govt, stated: “January’s figures present EV demand is rising – however not quick sufficient to ship on present ambitions.
“Affordability stays a significant barrier to uptake, therefore the necessity for compelling measures to spice up demand, and never simply from producers.
“The application, therefore, of the ‘Expensive Car Supplement’ to VED on electric vehicles is the wrong measure at the wrong time. Rather than penalising EV buyers, we should be taking every step to encourage more drivers to make the switch, helping meet government, industry and societal climate change goals.”
