Rising EV sales lift market

The new car market in the UK has recorded its 22nd consecutive month of growth after registrations rose 1.7 per cent in May from the same month a year ago.

The 147,678 units sold was the best May market performance since 2021, but the total remains down 19.6 per cent on the 2019 figure, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 

Fleets and businesses continue to drive market growth, up 14 per cent and 9.5 per cent year-on-year respectively. This helped offset a 12.9 per cent drop in private retail uptake. 

Deliveries of petrol and diesel cars fell, but demand for electric vehicles (EVs) rose, with plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) up 31.5 per cent to reach eight per cent market share and hybrids climbing 9.6 per cent for 13.2 per cent of the market.

Battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations grew 6.2 per cent to claim a 17.6 per cent market share, up from 16.9 per cent in the same month last year. 

Kia’s Sportage, pictured, was the top-selling model with 4,202 units, followed by the Ford Puma on 3,812 and the Audi A3 on 3,017.

Year-to-date, the Puma is out front on 23,205 registrations with the Sportage next on 20,026. Nissan’s Qashqai is third with 19,687 sales. 

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, says: “As Britain prepares for next month’s general election, the new car market continues to hold steady as large fleets sustain growth, offsetting weakened private retail demand. 

“Consumers enjoy a plethora of new electric models and some very attractive offers, but manufacturers can’t sustain this scale of support on their own indefinitely. 

“Their success so far should be a signpost for the next government that a faster and fairer transition requires carrots, not just sticks.”