What has caused the increase in new car registrations?
New car registration data indicates that in May vehicle registrations reached 156,737 units, representing an increase of almost eight-fold on the same month last year. However, the overall market is still down -14.7% on pre-pandemic May 2019, and -13.2% on the 10-year May average. Fleet sales are responsible for 50% of this.
Image of Cars on UK Road (courtesy SMMT)
Are car sales up or down in 2021?
There has been a cautious uplift in the car industry. The economy is displaying stronger indicators and car sales are improving. Fleet sales have demonstrated growth at more than twice the rate of private purchases in May 2021. The large fleets are responsible for 50% of all new vehicle sales, indicating that business confidence is growing compared to last year.
How many electric cars sold 2021?
The battery electric vehicle market share has gone from 12% to 8.4%. The performance in May 2020 was questionable because new cars could only be purchased by click and collect or delivery, which had the impact of distorting the numbers.
Image of Electic Plug In Cars (courtesy SMMT)
What percentage of car sales are hybrid?
Pure petrol and mild hybrid petrol cars so far account for 60.4% of registrations, while pure diesel and mild hybrid diesels took an 18.0% share year to date. This compared to 64.6% and 22.4% last year.
A wider view across 2021 indicates that electric (plug in) vehicles are responsible for new car registrations of 13.8%. This represents an increase of 7.2% on 2020.
However, the most rapid growth has been seen for plug in hybrids accounting for a whopping 60.4% of registrations.
For 2021, total registrations are down. Some 296,448 less (-29%) less than January to May over the last decade. Following the impact of the pandemic on the UK motor industry, this gives a flavour for the scale of recovery required,
There is good news.
New van registration data indicates an impressive increase, rising to a record breaking figure of 29,354. The figure demonstrates +239% over the pandemic ravaged market of 2020, importantly – beating May 2019 figures.
Image of Van Production (courtesy of SMMT)
What has caused the increase in new van registration data?
Essentially, new shopping habits which include an increase in home deliveries. Further easing of lockdown restrictions and an increase in the growth of construction have fuelled volumes. For the first five months of 2021, these levels are now at almost double the 2020 figures (an increase of 99.3%).
Although the economy will be reeling from the effects of Brexit, the UK recovery post pandemic is set to be stronger than previously predicted (based on estimates from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development).
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