The new car market surged by more than a quarter in June, making it the 11th straight month of growth.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, 177,266 vehicles were registered in the month, meaning almost a million (949,720) new cars joined UK roads in the first six months of 2023, with total registrations up 18.4%
Deliveries of petrol cars increased 22.7% while those of hybrids and plug-in hybrids rose by 40.1% and 65.5% respectively. Diesel registrations were down 13.5% but battery electric vehicle registrations were up 39.4%.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “The new car market is growing back and growing green, as the attractions of electric cars become apparent to more drivers. But meeting our climate goals means we have to move even faster. Most electric vehicle owners enjoy the convenience and cost saving of charging at home but those that do not have a driveway or designated parking space must pay four times as much in tax for the same amount of energy. This is unfair and risks delaying greater uptake, so cutting VAT on public EV charging will help make owning an EV fairer and attractive to even more people.”
