Demand for alternatively-fuelled vehicles in the UK experienced unprecedented growth, according to official figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
SMMT calculates that registrations of ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) rose from 3,586 in 2013 to 14,498 in 2014 – a four-fold increase.
SMMT attributes the success of ULEVs to a combination of increasing choice of ULEVs from manufacturers and the reduced running costs of owning them.
Mike Hawes, chief executive of SMMT explained: “UK new car registrations returned to pre-recession levels in 2014, as pent-up demand from the recession years combined with confidence in the economy saw consumer demand for the latest models grow consistently and strongly.
“The year was particularly strong for alternatively-fuelled vehicles as increased choice, coupled with a growing desire for reduced costs and greater efficiency, resulted in a quadrupling of plug-in car registrations over 2013. With a variety of new plug-in models expected in 2015, this area of the market will continue to grow significantly. For the market as a whole, we expect a more stable 2015 as demand levels off.”
To underline the rising importance of ULEVs to the car market, SMMT points out the each of the 10 best-selling car brands in the UK now has a ULEV model in its range.
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