Sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) topped 7,300 in August 2021, enough to surpass diesel vehicle sales for a third successive month.
Figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) suggest 7,388 new BEVs were sold last month, topping the 5,077 new diesel vehicles sold. Those figures were enough to see BEVs capture a 10.9% share of the market.
While BEV sales were down on the 11,139 sold in July, overall new car registrations in the UK fell 22% in august, marking the weakest monthly performance for new vehicles sales since August 2013. This was in part due to constrained supply as the global shortage of semiconductors continues to undermine production volumes, the SMMT said.
When compared to August 2020, BEV sales increased by 32.3% from 5,589. Ove the year to date, sales of BEVs have more than doubled from 44,708 recorded in 2020 to 92,420 recorded in 2021. The rise in sales has seen BEVs close the gap on diesel vehicle sales, which currently stand at just under 107,000.
The SMMT’s figures are compounded by other statistics compiled by New AutoMotive, also released today, which suggest BEVs secured an 11% share of the market with sales of 6,659.
Ben Nelmes, head of policy and research at New AutoMotive, said: “August’s figures are yet more evidence that the transition to electric vehicles is gathering pace. The UK will benefit if the government acts now to ensure that the charging infrastructure is rolled out rapidly and that people are equipped with the skills they need to get ahead of the curve.”
