Sales of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) continued to outperform 2019 in October, jumping 195% year-on-year.
This is despite overall sales of cars dropping 1.6% in the month, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The SMMT attributed this largely to the Welsh firebreak lockdown, which it said subdued demand.
However, this seems to have had little to no impact on BEVs, with 9,335 sold in the month and a continued increase in sales compared to 2019’s figures.
In fact, so far this year, BEVs have seen an increase of 168.7% compared to 2019, with sales rising from 28,259 to 75,946.
Renault ZOE Van (Image: Renault)
April was a particularly strong month, with BEVs scooping up 31.8% of the market, outselling all fuel types except petrol as overall sales dropped 97.3%. This drop was largely attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and the introduction of the lockdown, with BEV sales also dropping 9.7% despite its market share.
July also saw strong sales, with an increase of 259.4% compared to 2019, and in September sales broke the 20,000 mark, representing a third of all new car sales that year and a 184.39% increase on 2019.
Commenting on the figures, Centrica’s sustainable transport editor, Amanda Stretton, said that it’s “encouraging to see that there is still an appetite for EV adoption despite the current climate” but that there is still a need for a “greater commitment to rolling out charging infrastructure in public places and the continuation of grants available for home charging”.
Read more: Current
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