THE UK new car market recorded its second successive month of growth in September, with registrations rising 4.6%, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
During what is typically the second biggest month of the year for the sector, 225,269 cars joined Britain’s roads. While this was a 9,957 unit increase on last year, when the industry recorded its weakest September since 1998, overall registrations for the month are still some 34.4% below pre-pandemic levels as the industry continues to battle issues constraining supply to fulfil a backlog of orders.
Bucking recent trends, registrations by large fleets grew by 12.5% or 11,315 units, although this still represents a significant (39.7%) decline on pre-pandemic volumes. Registrations to private buyers, meanwhile, fell by 3.6%.
Electric vehicle uptake continued to rise, albeit at a slower rate of growth than seen earlier in the year, with the second highest monthly volume of battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations in history, up 16.5% to 38,116 units. Although registrations of plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) declined by 11.5% to 12,281 units, overall plug-in vehicles accounted for more than one in five new cars joining UK roads in the month. As a result, almost quarter of a million (249,575) have now been registered in 2022 – meaning that UK drivers and fleets have now registered more than one million plug-in EVs, a quarter of which in this year alone.
In terms of segments, the largest growth was seen in multi-purpose vehicles, which rose 509.2%, adding more than 10,000 units, to 12,068, a result of key new model availability. Superminis remained the most popular segment overall, accounting for 30.9% of all registrations.
While growth is welcome following a torrid first half of the year, total registrations for 2022 remain down8.2% on a weak 2021 performance and more than a third (35.1%) below the first three quarters of pre-pandemic 2019, equivalent to 653,903 fewer units.
Kim Royds, EV Director at British Gas, said: “The introduction of the new number plate in September brought with it a spike in EV adoption figures as drivers invested in the latest car models.
“As the rate of EV adoption climbs, so does the pressure on the UK’s network of charging points, particularly the demand for super-fast charging which offers more convenience for drivers.
“The continued uptake of EVs is dependent on government and policy makers ensuring the rollout of the charging network is done properly. This means focusing on accessibility, convenience for users, and ensuring the latest technology – including super-fast chargers – is put in place to build a network fit for future purpose.”
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