Car registrations in the UK have fallen yet again for the sixth time in seven months, with EV sales still far away from the lofty targets still required by the ZEV Mandate following the conclusion of its review last month.
Just over 120,000 new cars hit the road across the UK in April which, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), is 10.4 per cent fewer than in the same period last year. Crucially, however, although the popularity of electric cars continues to grow – the number of new examples registered last month was a modest eight per cent up on 2023, at 24,558 – market share still sits at around one in five new cars, which is eight per cent shy of what’s required for 2025 by the ZEV mandate.
By way of explanation, the SMMT points towards the latest changes to VED (Vehicle Excise Duty) road tax in April. These saw electric cars now liable for the yearly charge of £195, as well as the hefty Expensive Car Supplement (also known as the Luxury Car Tax) of £425. Of course, it’s not only EVs that were hit by the changes, because tax rises were seen across the board, notably with first-year tax rates seeing a big jump for the most polluting new vehicles.
Could you live with an electric car? The pros and cons of owning an EV today
Such a wide-reaching tax increase meant many buyers brought their purchases forward in order to dodge some of the financial burden, but nevertheless the slump in sales is representative of a market full of uncertainty and lacking in support.
