UK bus and coach registrations fall to lowest recorded level as pandemic dents ridership

Demand for new buses and coaches drops -16.8% in 2021, with only 3,467 vehicles joining UK roads. Double-deck bus registrations fall -35.4%, driving overall decline. Q4 down -31.6% rounding off the weakest year since records began in 1996. • Sector looks to government’s Bus Back Better Fund and Levelling Up ambitions to boost ridership and… Continue reading UK bus and coach registrations fall to lowest recorded level as pandemic dents ridership

HGV market accelerates 12.9% in 2021 to defy supply challenge

UK new HGV registrations increase to 37,163 (+12.9%) as market gains ground after locked down 2020. Supply chain constraints see market end -16.9% down on pre-pandemic average. Industry calls for clear plan to drive transition to zero emission vehicles and maintain fleet operator confidence. SEE HGV REGISTRATIONS BY BRAND DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE AND DATA TABLE… Continue reading HGV market accelerates 12.9% in 2021 to defy supply challenge

UK Automotive calls for EV chargepoint mandate governed by independent regulator to level up network for consumers

Automotive industry publishes new seven-point plan putting consumers at the heart of EV infrastructure planning and delivery to secure UK’s zero-emission future. Calls for binding targets for chargepoint rollout as a condition of the ZEV Mandate to energise public confidence, backed by measures to de-risk investment and support local authorities. Proposes new regulator, Ofcharge, to… Continue reading UK Automotive calls for EV chargepoint mandate governed by independent regulator to level up network for consumers

Used car market up despite volatile year

UK used car transactions grow 11.5% in 2021 with 7,530,956 units changing hands. Weaker Q4, down -3.1%, contrasts with record Q2 to round off a volatile year. Record demand for used battery electric vehicles, up 119.2% with 40,228 transactions. Overall used car market still down -5.5% on pre-pandemic five-year average. The UK’s used car market… Continue reading Used car market up despite volatile year

LCV market declines in January but electric van uptake grows

New light commercial vehicle (LCV) market falls by -26.9% in January to 17,566 units, compared with a bumper January last year. Demand for battery electric vehicles bucks trend with 21.4% rise. Market outlook forecasts 2.0% growth of sector for 2022, with electric vans to increase by 81.3%. SEE LCV REGISTRATIONS BY BRAND DOWNLOAD PRESS RELEASE… Continue reading LCV market declines in January but electric van uptake grows

January new car market gets electrified boost but headwinds constrain recovery

115,087 new cars registered as 2022 kicks off, 27.5% up on January 2021 when lockdown restrictions kept showrooms shut. One in five buyers goes electric, while new analysis reveals average new car CO2 reached record low, down -11.2% in 2021. New industry outlook puts 2022 market on course for 1.897m units – up 15.2% on… Continue reading January new car market gets electrified boost but headwinds constrain recovery

Grey still UK’s favourite new car colour despite record numbers switching to ‘greener’ vehicles

Grey is the UK’s most popular new car colour for fourth consecutive year, followed by black and white to complete the monochrome set. Blue edges closer to top three but appetite for niche paints gold, yellow, turquoise and green grow fastest. Green also boosts under-bonnet appeal as drivers switch to electric vehicles in record numbers,… Continue reading Grey still UK’s favourite new car colour despite record numbers switching to ‘greener’ vehicles

British engine production declines -10.8% in 2021

27 January 2022 #SMMT News #UK Manufacturing UK engine manufacturing down -10.8% in 2021 to just over 1.6 million units. Production for domestic and overseas markets falls -3.6% and -15.4%, respectively. December output tumbles by more than a quarter to round off another tough year for sector. Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, 2021 represented… Continue reading British engine production declines -10.8% in 2021