A combination of supply chain shortages and the ‘pingdemic’ have frustrated attempts to boost sales with industry estimates for the year being revised down to 1.82 million units.
A total of 123,296 new cars were registered in the UK last month, representing a 29.5 per cent decline from July 2020.
But purchases of plug-in vehicle have bucked the trend, accelerating to 17.1 per cent of market with 21,039 units registered in July. Electric vehicles are now expected to account for more than one in six new cars acquired in 2021, a necessary uptick ahead of the ban on sales of new petrol cars from 2030.
The SMMT said that Britain’s most popular types of cars remained superminis (32.9 per cent of registrations), lower medium (28.0 per cent) and dual purpose (27.3 per cent).
While the UK’s economic outlook continues to strengthen, with most consumer indicators suggesting a greater appetite for spending, including on so-called ‘big ticket’ items, supply challenges...