New car market sees two straight years of growth

SMMT: Battery electric vehicle uptake outpaces overall market, but remains behind mandated transition trajectory.

The UK new car market rose by 2.5% in July, delivering two years of consecutive growth, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

With 147,517 new cars reaching the road, it was the best performance for July since 2020, when a re-opening of dealerships following four months of lockdown saw a surge in deliveries to fulfil demand pent-up demand.

As has been the pattern for the year, July’s growth was sustained entirely by the fleet sector,...