May has been a fantastic month for greener options as battery electric vehicles and hybrid cars have proven to be highly popular.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, last month battery electric vehicle registrations skyrocketed by 441.3% compared to the same period last year. More than 13,120 BEV were registered solely in May.
However, BEV market share declined from 12.0% a year ago to 8.4% in the past month, as the May 2020 performance was distorted by lockdowns when new cars could only be purchased through click and collect or delivery, giving rise to variable purchasing patterns.
Meanwhile, Plug-in Hybrids have also seen their registration numbers massively improve by 1,091.7% as 9,855 PHEVs were registered last month. The incredible numbers have solidified the position of the Plug-in vehicles as their market share rose from 4.1% last year to 6.3% this year.
It has been a very solid month for Hybrids too as registrations have improved by an astonishing 1,903.1% with 13,000 new HEVs now on the road. The Hybrid market share is now 8.3% compared to last year’s 3.2%.
Overall, with the year’s first full month of showroom openings, new car registrations in May reached 156,737 units, according to the SMMT. The total represents an almost eightfold increase on the same month last year, but is down -14.7% on pre-pandemic May 2019, and -13.2% on the 10-year May average.
The full reopening of showrooms has helped internal combustion engines recover after many tough months, according to Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive.
“With dealerships back open and a brighter, sunnier, economic outlook, May’s registrations are as good as could reasonably be expected,” he said. “Demand for electrified vehicles is helping encourage people into showrooms, but for these technologies to surpass their fossil-fuelled equivalents, a long-term strategy for market transition and infrastructure investment is required.”