Vehicle Sales Increased in May Due To Soaring Demand For Petrol-Powered Cars

The United Kingdom witnessed a 17 per cent rise in new vehicle sales during May, propelled by petrol-driven automobiles and large fleet vehicles. Nevertheless, this expansion still lingers at a 21 per cent decrease when contrasted with the pre-pandemic benchmarks, as emphasised by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The SMMT indicated that new automobile sales escalated to 145,204 units in the previous month, marking the 10th consecutive month of progression.

"In light of the challenges posed by the COVID pandemic, the automotive industry has faced significant supply constraints in recent years. It is pleasing to observe that the new car market continues to exhibit a positive trajectory," expressed Mike Hawes, CEO of SMMT, in an official statement.

"The noteworthy aspect of this growth is its environmentally conscious nature, which is truly inspiring."

SMMT

In May, the United Kingdom witnessed a significant surge in sales of battery-electric vehicles, marking a notable increase of 59%.

As a result, these vehicles now hold a 16.9% portion of the market.

Conversely, there was a modest rise of 5.3% in the demand for gasoline vehicles, securing their position as the dominant powertrain with a leading market share of 41.2%.

On the other hand, diesel sales experienced a substantial decline of 24%, resulting in a mere 4.0% share.

Last month, the government announced it plans to invest a hefty sum of 1 billion pounds (approx. US$1.24 billion) to develop its semiconductor industry. This long-awaited move is expected to take place over the next decade.

SMMT

According to the SMMT, there was a notable increase of 37 per cent in large fleet registrations in the previous month. This rise can be attributed to the stabilisation of the supply chain, which faced difficulties in the preceding year.

According to the data, Ford's Puma emerged as the top-selling model in May, closely trailed by the Nissan Qashqai and the Vauxhall Mokka.

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Source and Images: Automotive News Europe