New Car Registrations NUDGE up in November in the UK – EVs do well, Diesel continues to wither

New car registrations in the UK in November rose slightly on 2020, but supply still ‘Chip’ constrained as EVs thrive and Diesel withers.

The last four months have seen new car registrations fall as the global ‘Chip’ shortage constrains production, but November saw a small glimmer of light with registrations nudging up (by 1.7 per cent) to 115,706, although down more than 30 per cent on a pre-pandemic five-year average.

Recent trends continue in market share, with diesel-engined cars accounting for just 5.1 per cent (although 9.6 per cent if you include MHEV diesels), petrol accounting for 54 per cent (including MHEV), BEVs 18.8 per cent, PHEVs 9.3 per cent and Hybrids 8.3 per cent.

You could take the continued increase in cars with a plug as a sure sign of the appetite for EVs – as it perhaps is – although that needs to be tempered by the fact that businesses are buying twice as many as private individuals (for the tax breaks) and car makers are prioritising production of BEVs and PHEVs – as well as high ticket, high profit cars – as they decide where best to use the ‘Chips’ they do have.

That’s seen stalwarts of the top-sellers – like the Ford Fiesta – disappear altogether from November’s top 10, and MINI the best-seller.

Mike Hawes, SMMT CEO, said:

What looks like a positive performance belies the underlying weakness of the market. Demand is there, with a slew of new, increasingly electrified, models launched but the global shortage of semiconductors continues to bedevil production and therefore new car registrations. The industry is working flat out to overcome these issues and fulfil orders, but disruption is likely to last into next year, compounding the need for customers to place orders early.