Ford Puma Tops UK New Car Sales in August, EV Share Jumps
Introduction
In August, UK new car sales experienced a slight slowdown as buyers anticipated the upcoming September numberplate change. However, despite the dip, the market is still on track to surpass its 2023 total sales. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reported a decrease of 1.3% (1082 registrations) compared to August 2023. So far this year, sales have increased by 480,443 year on year to 1.2 million.
Ford Puma Takes the Lead
The Ford Puma, the best-selling car of the year with 32,263 sales, claimed the top spot in August with 2471 registrations. Following closely behind was the Kia Sportage with 1962 sales, while the Nissan Qashqai secured the third position with just 1170 registrations.
Surge in Hybrid and EV Sales
August witnessed a significant increase in hybrid car sales, with a rise of 3088 compared to the previous year. Electric vehicle (EV) sales also experienced a surge, with a jump of 1870 registrations. EVs accounted for 22.6% of the market share in August, the highest for a month since December 2022. This increase can be attributed to manufacturers offering discounts on EVs to avoid £15,000-per-car fines under the UK’s new zero emission vehicle mandate.
Call for Government Incentives
The SMMT predicts that EV sales will reach 364,000 in 2024, which falls below the mandated 22% proportion of overall sales. SMMT CEO Mike Hawes used these figures to urge the government to reintroduce incentives for EV buyers and owners. He emphasized the need for urgent action to address affordability issues and concerns about charge-point provision, stating that encouraging a mass market shift to EVs remains a challenge.
Conclusion
While August experienced a slight slowdown in new car sales, the market is still poised to surpass its previous year’s total. The Ford Puma emerged as the top-selling car in August, followed closely by the Kia Sportage. The surge in hybrid and EV sales, with EVs reaching their highest market share in months, highlights the growing demand for electric vehicles. However, to further accelerate the adoption of EVs, the government needs to introduce incentives to address affordability concerns and charge-point provision.
