New car sales in the UK experienced a modest increase in April, primarily bolstered by higher demand for fleet vehicles during what is typically a low-volume month, according to industry data released on Tuesday.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reported a 1% year-on-year rise in new car registrations, reaching a total of 134,274 units. Despite this uptick, the figures remain more than 16% below pre-pandemic levels.
Fleet registrations notably surged, rising by 18.5% to 81,207 units, significantly contributing to the overall growth in new car sales for the month.
The SMMT also revised its new car sales forecast for the year, now anticipating sales of 1.98 million units, slightly higher than the 1.90 million units registered in 2023.
While registrations of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) saw a 10.7% increase, SMMT highlighted the need to “re-enthuse” private buyers to switch, as fewer than one in six new BEVs were purchased by such consumers.
SMMT’s emphasis on incentivizing electric vehicle adoption comes at a time when there is a growing push towards sustainable transportation to reduce carbon emissions.
