Revival of new registrations continues

The UK new car market recorded its second successive month of growth in September, with registrations rising 4.6%.

According to the latest figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 225,269 cars joined Britain’s roads last month.

While this was a 9,957 unit increase on last year, when the industry recorded its weakest September since 1998, overall registrations for the month are still some 34.4% below pre-pandemic levels as the industry continues to battle issues constraining supply to fulfil a backlog of orders.

Electric vehicle uptake continued to rise with the second highest monthly volume of battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations in history, up 16.5% to 38,116 units.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “September has seen Britain’s millionth electric car reach the road – an important milestone in the shift to zero emission mobility. Battery electric vehicles make up but a small fraction of cars on the road, so we need to ensure every lever is pulled to encourage motorists to make the shift if our green goals are to be met.

“The overall market remains weak, however, as supply chain issues continue to constrain model availability. Whilst the industry is working hard to address these issues, the long-term recovery of the market also depends on robust consumer confidence and economic stability.”