New data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders recorded that new car registrations have increased 1.7 percent year-on-year. The figures show that uptake for electric cars doubled since last year, with EVs now making up 36.4 percent of the market share.
Registration figures for petrol and diesel vehicles also continued to decline, with 50,073 new petrol cars registered, a 10.4 percent decrease compared to last November.
Diesel vehicles also took a massive hit with a 62 percent decrease in registrations, with just under 6,000 new vehicles.
Alex Buttle, co-founder of used car marketplace Motorway.co.uk, commented on the car registration numbers, saying the used car market could see a boost.
He said: “November new car sales were never likely to deviate from the trend we’ve seen throughout 2021, although EV and plug-in sales continue to be a huge positive amongst all the gloom.
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“Lack of supply is still a major bottleneck for the new car industry, with global supply chain issues persisting and microchip shortages unresolved.
“With manufacturer wait times often over 12 months, many buyers are simply not willing to wait that long for their purchase to arrive. The used car market will continue to be the beneficiary for as long as this situation continues.
“We are seeing unprecedented demand from dealers wanting to buy quality used cars on Motorway’s marketplace. Record breaking prices are still being achieved by customers selling their cars, with average prices up 22 percent year on year in November.
“Despite buoyant prices, the used car market still offers great value for buyers, who are willing to pay a premium for the immediacy of being able to purchase a car and pick it up the same day, or have it delivered to their home.
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“Looking ahead to next year, the new car market is facing another tough year with the Covid-19 backdrop still uncertain.
“EV sales are continuing to be a ray of light for the new car industry, with sales surging as people switch to electric in light of the fuel crisis, ULEZ, environmental concerns and the 2030 ban on new fossil fuel car sales.
“November saw electric cars make up almost a fifth of all sales, the highest monthly proportion ever, suggesting that people are embracing the idea of early switching.
“With further Government investment into infrastructure supporting EVs on the cards, these numbers will continue to rise in 2022.”
The Government’s ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles in 2030 will be playing on the minds of some consumers, especially with the 2035 ban on hybrids.
Drivers may be thinking of switching to an electric vehicle as charging infrastructure across the UK continues to develop.
James Fairclough, CEO at AA Cars, said: “After four miserable months that the motor industry would rather forget, the tide is finally turning for new car sales.
“Forecourts are gradually getting busier and many dealers are working overtime to get cars to customers who have already placed orders. But the patchy supply of new vehicles continues to peg back the number of sales dealers can make.
“Stock levels of certain models are so low that some dealers are even struggling to offer test drives, let alone fulfil customer orders in anything less than several weeks.
“The one silver lining is that the problem is the lack of vehicle supply rather than the lack of customer demand. But the cloud is that the supply issues could get worse before they get better.
“In recent months the number of new cars rolling off UK production lines has collapsed to its lowest October level in 65 years. Car factories in other countries have been similarly affected as the global shortage of semiconductors means vehicle production is being held back everywhere.
“Meanwhile changing customer tastes are reshaping the market. Plug-in vehicles have accounted for more than one in six cars registered in 2021 – that’s close to double their market share of last year and nearly double the number of diesels sold.
“Steadily rising fuel prices in November, coupled with the buzz around the COP26 summit in Glasgow, may have given EV sales a further lift last month – encouraging many buyers who had already been considering going electric to bring forward their decision.
“However, rather than face a long wait for a new model, thousands of motorists are choosing to focus on the second-hand market instead, where availability is significantly better.”
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