September saw record growth in EV sales

September was the best month ever for new electric vehicle (EV) sales, according to data from The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The UK new car market recorded its weakest September since 1998 with 215,312 new cars registered, a -34.4% fall on September 2020. 

However, despite this, the EV market had a record share of 15.2% of the total market. 

32,721 new EV’s joined the road in the month, reflecting the wide range of models available. 

The September performance was just over 5,000 shy of the total number of EVs registered in the whole of 2019. 

Plug-in hybrid vehicles also grew to 6.4% of the market share, meaning more than one in five cars registered in September were zero-emission capable. 

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: ‘This is a desperately disappointing September and further evidence of the ongoing impact of the Covid pandemic on the sector.

‘Despite a strong demand for new vehicles over the summer, three successive months have been hit by stalled supply due to reduced semiconductor availability, especially from Asia. Nevertheless, manufacturers are taking every measure possible to maintain deliveries and customers can expect attractive offers on a range of new vehicles.

‘Despite these challenges, the rocketing uptake of plug-in vehicles, especially battery-electric cars, demonstrates the increasing demand for these new technologies. However, to meet our collective decarbonisation ambitions, we need to ensure all drivers can make the switch – not just those with private driveways – requiring a massive investment in public recharging infrastructure. Chargepoint roll-out must keep pace with the acceleration in plug-in vehicle registrations.’

Photo by CHUTTERSNAP