Sales of new electric cars outperform market

Sales of pure battery electric new cars outperformed the market last month, new figures show.

Some 26,031 of the vehicles were registered in May, up 6.2% from the same month last year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said.

That is compared with a 1.7% year-on-year increase for all types of new cars.

Uptake of new electric cars is being driven by purchases for large fleets, with those volumes rising 10.7%.

Registrations of the vehicles by private buyers declined by 2.0%.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “As Britain prepares for next month’s General Election, the new car market continues to hold steady as large fleets sustain growth, offsetting weakened private retail demand.

“Consumers enjoy a plethora of new electric models and some very attractive offers, but manufacturers can’t sustain this scale of support on their own indefinitely.

“Their success so far should be a signpost for the next government that a faster and fairer transition requires carrots, not just sticks.”