United Kingdom Car Registrations2021 Data | 2022 Forecast | 1962-2020 Historical

New car registrations in the United Kingdom rose by 1.7 percent year-on-year to 115,706 units in November 2021, bringing an end to four months of consecutive decline. Still, the number remains low taking into account a 27 percent decline in November 2020 when lockdowns impacted registrations. Also, compared to the pre-pandemic average, there were 31.3 percent fewer vehicles registered as semiconductor shortages constrain supply. Plug-in vehicle demand continued to grow, however, with battery electric vehicles (BEVs) equating to 18.8 percent of the market, with 21,726 units – more than double compared with November 2020 – while plug-in hybrid vehicles’ (PHEVs) share grew to 9.3 percent or 10,796 units. Year-to-date, 1.54 million new cars have been registered, up 2.7 percent from the same period of 2020.

New car registrations in the United Kingdom fell by 24.6 percent year-on-year to 106,265 units in October 2021, a fourth consecutive month of decline. The performance was also the weakest for an October month since 1991, as demand from large fleets fell by a substantial 40.4 percent and private demand was down by a more modest 3.3 percent, although this apparent small decrease is compared against weak consumer uptake during the pandemic-affected October 2020. Looking ahead, the latest SMMT forecast has been revised downward by -8.8 percent to 1.66 million units, in light of the ongoing supply issues and deteriorating economic outlook. This would see 2021 finish 1.9 percent or some 30,000 units up on 2020, but some 650,000 units down on 2019’s pre-pandemic 2.3 million performance. A partial recovery, however, is forecast for 2022, with industry anticipating some 1.96 million new car registrations next year.

New car registrations in the United Kingdom fell by 34.4 percent year-on-year to 215,312 units in September 2021. It was the lowest figure for a September month since 1998, before the twice-a-year number plate system was introduced, as the auto industry continued to be plagued by supply issues caused by semiconductor shortages. September is typically the second busiest month of the year for the industry, but with the ongoing shortage of semiconductors impacting vehicle availability, the 2021 performance was down some -44.7 percent on the pre-pandemic ten-year average. However, September was the best month ever for new battery electric vehicle (BEV) uptake. With a market share of 15.2%, 32,721 BEVs joined the road in the month, reflecting the wide range of models now available and growing consumer appetite.