Dismal new car registration figures in April conceal a milestone for the UK motoring public – for the first time ever, an all-electric model topped the passenger vehicle sales charts. But when it comes to overall new registrations, top of the heap during the month was a van.
3,387 new light commercial vehicles were registered in the UK in April, 21,217 fewer than in the same month last year. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) figures show that the market declined -86.2 per cent in the month as nearly all registrations stopped due to coronavirus lockdowns.
Paul Heard has been appointed the new Chief Executive of SMMT Industry Forum. Heard was formerly President of Automotive Tier 1 supplier Futaba UK and has worked for more than 20 years in management and consultancy roles at companies including EV Cargo, QT Consulting, Futaba subsidiaries and Tenneco Automotive. He has a track record of leading multi-million pound businesses within complex supply chain ecosystems and a wealth of experience delivering successful business transformation programmes across multiple sectors.
Although UK monthly new car registrations in April were lower than since the days of postwar petrol rationing, there is at least some optimism that the automotive industry will benefit from one aspect of the COVID-19 crisis. With social distancing and fear of contagion part of the ‘new normal’, mistrustful commuters may shun public transport in favour of private cars.
Figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that UK new car registrations plummeted 97.3 per cent year-on-year in April. This marks a record low for the new car market as the coronavirus pandemic forced the nation into lockdown for the entire month, with showrooms closed and car buyers housebound.
Extinction Rebellion has issued a threat against car dealers, car manufacturers and car firms in Bristol and London today (Friday 1 May). The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has seen a leaked document issuing the threat, with London and Bristol being named as targets. It is unclear what the threat involves, but at a low level will simply be campaigning outside car dealers. The worry is that expensive vehicles may get damaged. Although only London and Bristol were named specifically, it is thought that other luxury car brands may be targeted nationwide, although no detail of this was released.
Analysts have warned that the dire effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on car production are not fully reflected in the March figures, released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Andrew Burn, partner and head of automotive at KPMG UK said that while the March data shows that conditions were difficult, April’s numbers will show the full extent of the effects of the UK lockdown on the sector.
UK car manufacturing fell -37.6 per cent in March, according to figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 78,767 vehicles left factory gates in the month, some 47,428 fewer than the previous year, as the coronavirus crisis caused UK car plants to close. 140 days-worth of lost production have been lost as a result.
The UK vehicle parc passed 40 million for the first time, according to new Motorparc data released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The UK’s largest automotive analysis reveals that more than 35 million cars and five million commercial vehicles were in use in the UK in 2019, representing a 1.0% increase on the previous year.
The UK new car market declined -44.4 per cent in March, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 203,370 fewer cars were registered than in March 2019, as showrooms closed in line with government advice to contain the spread of the coronavirus.
February’s car registration figures were released as the SMMT calls on the Chancellor to use next week’s Budget to announce bold new measures to make new-tech zero emission-capable cars, including plug-in hybrids, more affordable for mass-market buyers. In 2020, manufacturers will bring more than 23 new battery-electric and ten plug-in hybrid electric cars to the UK to add to the more than 65 already on sale, but take-up of these new models depends on affordability and the provision of adequate charging infrastructure.
February is traditionally one of the quietest months of the year for new car registrations in the UK, coming as it does ahead of the March number plate change. It was even quieter this year – data published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that last month’s sales were 2.9 per cent below those recorded in February 2019, with just 79,594 new cars registered in the UK during the month.
British car production fell -2.1 per cent in January 2020, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) figures reveal. As well as being the fifth consecutive month of decline, with 118,314 units produced, UK car production has now fallen in 19 of the last 20 months. The majority (82.7 per cent) of these cars were built for export worldwide.
The SMMT released its UK passenger car registration figures for January shortly after the government announced its ambition to end the sale of all vehicles with an internal combustion engine, including HEVs and PHEVs, by 2035. In response to the announcement, the SMMT calls for caution. It points out that hybrids and plug-in hybrids are zero-emission capable, and therefore views both as vehicles not only bringing “significant environmental benefits today,” but also an “important stepping stone in helping motorists make the switch to a zero-emission vehicle.”
As far as the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) is concerned, we can count Brexit as occurring from the start of this year – the association has already removed the UK from its passenger car registration figures for January 2020. Registrations for the slimmed-down EU27 region fell 7.5 per cent year-on-year, to 956,779 units. Registrations fell by a similar level on our side of the channel, with figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showing a 7.3 per cent decline in January, to 149,279 units.
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