Car sales fell 2.5% in January, the fourth consecutive month of decline. Registrations by both fleet and private buyers were down in the month, by -3.7% and -0.5% respectively.
Petrol car registrations dropped by -15.3% to comprise just over half (50.3%) the market, with diesel down -7.7% to claim a 6.2% share, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT).
Both hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) recorded volume growth and saw their market shares rise to 13.2% and 9.0% respectively.
Battery electric vehicle (BEV) registrations, meanwhile, continued recent growth trends, with volumes up by 41.6% year on year to take a 21.3% market share.
The SMMT said that despite the increase in the month, BEV market share still remains short of the 22% target set by government for last year, and even further behind the 28% requirement for 2025.
It added that this gap between demand and ambition is why the review of the Vehicle Emissions Trading Scheme and its flexibilities was “essential.”
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “January’s figures show EV demand is growing – but not fast enough to deliver on current ambitions.
“Affordability remains a major barrier to uptake, hence the need for compelling measures to boost demand, and not just from manufacturers.
“The application, therefore, of the ‘Expensive Car Supplement’ to VED on electric vehicles is the wrong measure at the wrong time. Rather than penalising EV buyers, we should be taking every step to encourage more drivers to make the switch, helping meet government, industry and societal climate change goals.”
