It has been a landmark 12 months for electric cars, says the RAC. Despite the wider car industry suffering badly from the effects of the pandemic, 2020 was a landmark when it came to sales of battery electric vehicles with twice as many sold last year compared to the year before, and a total of more than 200,000 registered since 2010, shows analysis of SMMT figures by the RAC. December alone saw … [Read more...]
EVs on charge in collapsed UK market
The UK new car market fell almost a third last year with registrations dropping 29.4% to 1,631,064 units, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders today. A -10.9% decline in December wrapped up a turbulent year, which saw demand fall by 680,076 units over 12-months to the lowest level of registrations since 1992. Against a backdrop of Covid restrictions, an acceleration of … [Read more...]
Brexit deal provides hope for automotive sector
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders want to ensure all automotive companies benefit from continued tariff-free trade with our largest market after agreeing on Brexit terms. While no substitute for the benefits provided by remaining in the EU, the TCA provides hope for the future, with a foundation on which to build, domestically and internationally, in 2021.Given the … [Read more...]
UK car sales plunge nearly 30% in November
New car registrations slumped by 27.4% in November in Britain, according to the Society of Motor Manufactuers and Traders, as English showrooms were closed in the latest lockdown. Click and collect helped sals achieve 113,781 and “With a vaccine now approved, the business and consumer confidence on which this sector depends can only improve, giving the industry more optimism for the turn of the … [Read more...]
Bumpy road to low carbon future, say experts
The UK Government’s drive towards electric cars and a low carbon future faces a bumpy journey, say experts. Car-makers said they are committed to them and invested billions but the challenge of the next nine years is “immense”, according to Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive. "We are pleased, therefore, to see Government accept the importance of hybrid transition technologies – which drivers are … [Read more...]
Used electric cars now growing sales
Second-hand battery and electric cars are being sought by drivers, says the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders in their latest report on the used car market. The UK’s used car market increased by 4.4% in Q3 after two consecutive quarters of decline, according to the latest figures published today by the SMMT. During the busiest quarter since the end of 2016, some 2,168,599 transactions … [Read more...]
Time for a new approach to selling EVs, says report
A new approach to the likely success of electric vehicles is needed say analysts, who question the claims of the car makers' body in Britain. Tesla became the most valuable car manufacturer for many reasons, from glamour to having the longest-range vehicles. The IDTechEx report, "Electric Vehicles: Land, Sea and Air 2021-2041" gives the big picture.A … [Read more...]
Welsh lockdown badly hits car dealers
The firebreak lockdown has wiped 25% off new car sales in Wales, revealed figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. It is a warning to England which has just gone into a month's lockdown as opposed to the fortnight shutdown in Wales which ends on monday after 3,677 new cars were sold by Welsh dealers in the three weeks they could open last month.October new car … [Read more...]
Newslines 30 October
Electrified vehicles have outsold diesel-powered models across Europe, says JATO Dynamics. This turnaround comes as September registrations in the EU were up by 1% over 2019, marking a significant milestone in the low carbon drive and much of it was due to the arrival of the VW ID.3 . UK car production fell in September, with output down -5.0%, to register the worst performance for the month in … [Read more...]
Welsh drivers are leading car buyers
Drivers in Wales are ahead of the UK. It’s the only part of the country to record car sales rising in September, when they went up 2.15% and contrasted with a maximum decline of 5.21% in England. New car registrations last month were down overall in the UK by 4.44% to 327,732 but in Wales they rose to 12,135 new cars, easily passing the 11,880 in September 2019. Demand for battery … [Read more...]