Car sales plummet as electric vehicles see dramatic drop

Most dramatically down are electric car sales (BEVs). They plunged by 52pc last month alone and are now running 25pc off last year’s pace amid deepening concern at the lack of consumer confidence.

The latest SIMI figures paint a grim picture generally with a minimal rise in sales for the first six months.

Now dealers are pinning their hopes of a bounce on the wide variety of new models, electric and otherwise, coming on the market, as well as a range of special deals.

SIMI director general Brian Cooke says dealers remain positive those factors will help boost buying in what is the second busiest month for new car sales.

But even allowing for a drop-off in demand last month, with the new reg plate imminent, the fall in electric-car buying is indicative of how so many motorists are holding off on buying.

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Just 692 new BEVs were registered last month, down from 1,432 in June 2023. So far this year, 10,747 new BEVs have been registered. That is a 25pc fall compared with the corresponding period last year when 14,307 were registered.

New-car registrations in June, including those for EVs, were down to 1,499 compared with the corresponding period last year. To date, registrations are up a mere 1.7pc (78,942).

But used imports are up again with an increase in buying of 22.2pc to 5,165 last month and they have soared by 25.4pc year-on-year to 31,372.

Petrols remain the most popular power source for 2024. They lead the new car market share at 32.96pc, followed by diesels at 22.89pc. Hybrid (petrol electric) now stand at 20.11pc, electric down to 13.61pc and plug-in electrics at 8.83pc.

Mr Cooke said that there now has been four consecutive months of decline with the result that new-car registrations are only marginally ahead of last year.

He said: “The decline in the new EV car market continues to highlight the need for government to support the EV transition, with ways to incentivise the market for both private and company car buyers.”

He repeated calls for the extension of consumer incentives and Benefit-in-Kind support, along with investment in charging infrastructure.

Those factors will, he claimed, build consumer and business confidence and encourage uptake.

The top-selling brands so far in 2024 are 1. TOYOTA, 2. VOLKSWAGEN, 3. SKODA, 4. HYUNDAI, 5. KIA.

The best-selling models are: 1. HYUNDAI TUCSON, 2. SKODA OCTAVIA, 3. KIA SPORTAGE, 4. TOYOTA RAV 4, 5. TOYOTA YARIS CROSS.

And the most popular BEVS are: 1. VOLKSWAGEN, 2.TESLA, 3.HYUNDAI, 4.BYD, 5.KIA while the biggest-selling BEV models are: 1. VOLKSWAGEN ID.4, 2. TESLA MODEL Y, 3. TESLA MODEL 3, 4. HYUNDAI KONA, 5. MG MG.

The Tesla Model 3 was the best-selling car overall in June.