The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has released data showing that one in five new cars registered are plug-in. This shows the EV revolution is taking hold of the industry and indeed British roads.
In June, 22,737 battery electric vehicles (BEVs or ‘pure electric’ cars) were registered, a jump of 14.6% on the same time last year. In the year to date, the same figures show that 115,249 BEVs were registered by new buyers. This amounts to a 56% increase in sales.
Rapid rise in battery electric vehicles (BEVs)
By comparison, just 8,003 diesel cars were registered in June, a decline of 26.7% on June 2021
By comparison, just 8,003 diesel cars were registered in June, a decline of 26.7% on June 2021. Over the year, diesel car registrations have fallen by 50.6% to 93,087 vehicles, showing that BEVs are now strongly out-selling diesel cars.
Across the models of cars being registered, the Tesla Model Y was the second best-selling car of all models in June. Across the year to date, it managed a still-respectable number 10 for all cars registered on UK roads. That’s not bad for a car that sells for £50,000!
Semiconductor Shortages
Generally speaking, more people and companies are agreeing to buy cars than are receiving them. The SMMT figures are for those cars physically going on the roads, and the SMMT are saying that across the automotive industry there are severe bottlenecks in car production due to chip shortages.
Chip shortages seem to be the bane of the industry and have been for quite some time. Tesla is rumored to be trying to jump the queue in different ways, and all car companies are at it in one way or another on basis that they simply cannot make any cars unless they have the computers inside them to make them work. The chip makers are building factories to meet demand but even so this will take quite a while to have an effect on car making.
The EV Revolution
Whichever way is looked at it though, with more BEVs being registered than diesel cars, the tide is turning for EVs. The EV revolution is here and cleaner, greener transport will be the normal thing very, very soon.
