New car registrations rose for the 22nd month in a row in May, with a strong fleet market continuing to support growth while private sales declined.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), a total of 147,678 new cars hit the road in May, an increase of 1.7% year-on-year.
The growth also means that last month was the best performance in May since 2021, but sales were still down 19.6% compared to pre-Covid 2019.
Growth was mainly driven by a healthy fleet and business market. Fleet sales rose 14% year-over-year, while sales to businesses rose 9.5%. However, sales to private buyers fell by 12.9% year-on-year.
Gasoline and diesel sales fell 16.7% and 2.1% respectively year-on-year, while plug-in hybrid sales rose 31.5%
Registrations of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were positive, rising 6.2% and claiming a 17.6% market share. This figure was supplemented by fleet sales, where BEV use increased by 10.7% year on year. The number of private BEV registrations fell by 2%, representing a decrease of 98 registrations compared to May last year.
The SMMT said that sales of electric vehicles in Britain are still “below the range set by manufacturers by the government in the Vehicle Emissions Trading Scheme, which requires 22% of new vehicles sold by each brand this year sold must be emission-free”.
The organization also said the sector needed more support and called for action
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “As Britain prepares for next month’s general election, the new car market remains stable as large fleets support growth and offset weakened private retail demand.
“Consumers are enjoying a plethora of new electric models and some very attractive offers, but manufacturers cannot sustain this level of support on their own indefinitely. Their success to date should serve as a signpost to the next administration that a faster and fairer transition requires carrots, not just sticks.”
The best-selling car in Britain in May was the Kia Sportage, followed by the Ford Puma and Audi A3. The Puma remains the leader in Britain as the best-selling car of the year so far, with the Sportage, Nissan Qashqai and A3 close behind.