LONDON: Britain’s new-car market recorded its strongest August in eight years, with registrations rising about 13% to more than 90,000, while battery electric vehicles accounted for roughly 30% of sales, preliminary industry data showed Friday.
The increase comes as automakers face pressure to expand electric vehicle sales and meet Britain’s zero-emission vehicle target for 2026.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said battery electric vehicles, or BEVs, increased their share of the market to about 30% in August. For the year to date, BEVs accounted for 26% of new-car registrations.
Both figures remain below Britain’s zero-emission vehicle mandate, which requires electric vehicles to make up 33% of new-car sales in 2026. The figures highlight the challenge facing automakers as they seek to increase demand for electric models and keep pace with the government’s targets.
Separate data from New AutoMotive released Wednesday also showed BEVs accounting for about 30% of all UK car registrations in August. The group reported that overall new-car registrations increased 17.5% from a year earlier.
The figures from the two organizations are not directly comparable because SMMT and New AutoMotive use different data sources and calculation methods. However, both sets of data point to a significant increase in the share of battery electric vehicles in Britain’s new-car market.
The August figures are particularly notable because the month is traditionally quieter for car sales ahead of the September registration-plate change. The stronger performance provides a positive signal for the market as manufacturers head into the final months of the year.
The SMMT was due to release its final figures for August at 8 a.m. GMT on Friday, providing a fuller picture of new-car registrations and the market share of different vehicle types.
