New car registrations see eighth consecutive month of growth in July

New car registrations rose by 11.7 per cent in July as the UK market experienced its eighth consecutive month of growth.

That’s according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which show that a total of 156,571 vehicles were registered during the month.

A big driver of that growth was the electric vehicle market, with demand for battery-powered vehicles rising by 44.5 per cent to a total of 43,106 cars during the month. Electric vehicles now represent 14.9 per cent of the car market. Rising demand for plug-in hybrids was also seen, increasing 33.6 per cent to 23,359 cars.

Diesel and petrol were both down, however, dropping 5.2 and 17.7 per cent respectively.

Demand grew across all sectors of car buying, too, with private buyer uptake rising by 12.6 per cent, while fleet deliveries went up by 9.5 per cent to represent six in 10 registrations.

The SMMT predicts that EVs will reach a 27.4 per cent market share by the end of the year, rising from a 26.9 per cent share in April’s forecast.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: “July’s record EV performance is a great achievement, reflecting industry’s huge investment in zero-emission mobility. But that progress cannot be sustained if manufacturers continue haemorrhaging billions in EV discounts, distorting demand to avoid even steeper penalties.

“The sector’s commitment to decarbonisation is not in doubt but its ability to remain viable – and attract investment for an EV future – is under intense pressure.”