UK’s new car registration rose by 20.3pc to 1.1 million units in the first eight months of the year from 915,615 vehicles in the same months in 2020, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
In August, total registration fell by 22pc to 68,033 vehicles from 87,226 units in the same month in 2020. Registration of diesel vehicles fell by 64.5pc last month while MHEV diesel vehicle registrations increased by 11.3pc in the same month annually. Petrol vehicles declined by 40.4pc and MHEV petrol vehicles rose by 48.5pc during the same timeframe.
Registrations of BEVs saw a 32.2pc incline in August on an annual basis while PHEVs and HEVs grew by 72.1pc and 45.7pc, respectively, in the same period.
SMMT attributed the declines in August to a historically quiet time, though the shortage of semiconductor chips also weighed on the volumes and car production last month.
That said, SMMT reported that August van registrations were the second-best ever with 20,582 vans registered in the month. Compared to the last five-year average, the light commercial vehicle (LCV) industry recorded a 21.1pc increase in new registration last month.