This data is from New AutoMotive’s Electric Car Count (ECC) – the most up-to-date and comprehensive electric car sales data in the UK.
In a week where the latest IPCC report says ‘it’s now or never’ and the World Health Organisation has found that nearly everyone in the world breathes air that doesn’t meet its standards for air quality, these statistics show at least some of the necessary changes are being made to help reduce this pollution and improve quality of life.
Diesel’s market share has halved in the past year, dropping from 16% in March 2021 to 8% in March 2022.
Ciara Cook, research and policy officer, said:”Our latest car sales data shows that Brits are continuing to make the switch – electric car sales have doubled in the last year and is the fastest growing segment in the market. We’ve also seen encouraging growth in certain areas of the country – for example, 1 in 3 new car registrations in both Kent and Peterborough (including Cambridge) were fully electric.
Brits are continuing to make the switch
“Although it’s encouraging to see that diesel sales have halved in the past year, data shows that just under 19,000 were registered in March. This means these cars will be polluting the road for another 14 years before they’re scrapped. This, record prices at the pump, and 18% of the UK’s diesel coming from Russia, shows the government needs to continue its push for EVs to become mainstream.
“We need the government to implement an ambitious zero emissions vehicle mandate that will prioritise UK-based manufacturing, this will reduce upfront costs and increase the variety of models available to drivers.”