New Car Registrations UP in October 2023 – now ABOVE pre-Covid levels

New Car Registrations in the UK in October 2023 were up by 14,3 per cent – above pre-Covid 2019 – but electric car sales are unimpressive.

We’ve got used to new car registrations rising as the effects of Covid and War on supply chains start to return to normal, but now we have reached a new benchmark – new car registrations in October 2023 were higher than those in 2019 – pre-Covid.

You might expect that, with every car maker now desperately trying to flog you an EV as a panacea for climate change, the increase in new car registrations is down to big rises in EV sales. But it’s not.

The total registration numbers – 153,529, an increase of 14.3 per cent on the same period last year – show the market share for BEVs rising by just 0.8 per cent, and the vast majority of the new BEV registrations – pushing on 80 per cent – were down to Fleet sales where big tax incentives are irresistible.

Petrol-powered cars are still the dominant choice, with 62,303 for a 40.6 per cent market share, followed by Mild Hybrids (petrol and diesel) at 28,163 for an 18.3 per cent share, BEV at 23,943 for a 15.6 per cent share, Hybrid with 19,574 for a 12,7 per cent share and PHEV with 14,825 and a 9.3 per cent share.

It all adds up to decent numbers, but Private BEV registrations at only around 5,000 units means a huge uphill struggle to convince private individuals that EVs are the future.

Mike Hawes, SMMT boss, said:

With demand for new cars surpassing pre-pandemic levels in the month, the market is defying expectations and driving growth. As fleet uptake flourishes, particularly for EVs, sustained success depends on encouraging all consumers to invest in the latest zero emission vehicles.