New UK Car Registrations were 5 TIMES higher in May than April – but still woeful

New car registrations in the UK were down by 89% year-on-year in May with 20,247 new cars registered, although that was almost five times April’s figures.

New car registrations in April 2020 in the UK were unsurprisingly awful as just about the entire car industry – from production to showroom – were in lockdown thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic.

That woeful number was right at the start of lockdown, and although the figures for May – 20,247 registrations – is, in isolation, dreadful, it does show a five times increase on April’s figures.

That’s probably down to car makers getting a bit more inventive about making sales once the initial shock of the lockdown tempered, and it was private buyers – presumably from the comfort of their own lockdown sofa – making the majority of the purchases – almost 64 per cent.

The mix of powertrains across the small number of cars registered was interesting though, with BEVs accounting for 12 per cent, petrol 55 per cent and diesel 17 per cent, with the remainder made up of a variety of hybrid and mild hybrid.

Top of the tree for the second month running is Tesla with the Model 3 – thanks to Tesla’s established online ordering and contactless delivery – followed by the Vauxhall Corsa in second and the Ford Fiesta in third.

Mike Hawes, SMMT CEO, said:

Restarting this market is a crucial first step in driving the recovery of Britain’s critical car manufacturers and supply chain, and to supporting the wider economy. Ensuring people have the confidence to invest in the latest vehicles will not only help them get on the move safely, but these new models will also help address some of the environmental challenges the UK faces in the long term.

Hopefully, with car showrooms back open from 1 June, June’s figures will show a strong recovery.