Sales of new cars in Scotland has grown by 3% for the year to December 2024, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Almost every region across in Scotland improved their sales output, with Dumfries and Galloway and Fife leading the way at 9.4% and 9.3% respectively. Although Central shows a yearly decline, Scotland has performed ahead of the UK average of 2.6%.
SMTA chief executive, Alan Gall, said: “The biggest concern we have is increasing the sales mix of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEV).
“There is a disconnect between consumer demand and the ZEV targets meaning that consumers will choose not to buy, rather than buy a product they do not want.
“Without significant government incentives in both the pricing of BEV vehicles, massive investment in the charging infrastructure and rationalisation of charging costs it is hard to see a benefit for consumers to buy a BEV product.”
The SMTA is concerned the outlook for 2025 is less optimistic and the UK’s ZEV mandate targets will only be achievable if the government addresses these challenges.
Gall identifies expected low levels of new car stock availability and high levels of interest rates as other strong concerns for 2025.
