Electric Surge: UK's used car market sparks up as BEV sales double
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and hybrids (HEVs) also saw significant gains
In a shift towards greener transportation, the UK's second-hand car market has seen a surge in the sale of battery electric vehicles (BEVs), with a staggering 99.9 percent increase this quarter, as reported by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
This surge has pushed BEVs to a record 1.8% share of the used car market, up from 1.0 percent in the previous year. The overall used car market experienced a growth of 5.5 percent with nearly 1.9 million units traded.
The demand for eco-friendly vehicles is becoming increasingly apparent, with plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) and hybrids (HEVs) also seeing significant gains, recording a combined increase of 70.9 percent and representing 2.8 percent of the market. Conversely, petrol and diesel car sales also grew but at a much slower pace.
Superminis also continue to be the vehicle of choice in the used car market, but there is a clear appetite for greener options.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, underscored the importance of this shift. He said: "The used car market continues to grow strongly with re-energised supply unlocking demand for pre-owned electric vehicles –the result being twice as many motorists switching to zero-emission motoring in the quarter.
Maintaining this momentum requires growth in the new car market to boost supply to the used sector and cement this success. Equally important is the urgent need for charging infrastructure rollout so that all drivers can have confidence in being able to charge whenever and wherever they need."