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2026-04-07 16:29:18
[UK New Car Registrations Hit Record High Since 2019 in March] ⑴ Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows that new car registrations in the UK in March 2026 increased by 6.6% year-on-year to 380,627 vehicles, compared to a 7.2% increase in February. March is typically the busiest market month of the year, and this registration figure represents the best March performance and the best single-month performance since 2019. ⑵ The growth was mainly driven by private demand, with retail registrations increasing by 10.1% to 162,470 vehicles. Fleet registrations increased by 3.5% to 208,853 vehicles, and small business registrations increased by 18.8% to 9,304 vehicles. March also saw the best month for electric vehicle registrations, reaching 196,059 vehicles. ⑶ Pure electric vehicle registrations increased by a record 24.2%, but the market share was only 22.6%, while the statutory target for the year is 33%. In early 2026, battery costs were more than 30% higher than expected, industrial energy prices were about 80% higher than 2021 levels, and public charging costs were more than 140% higher than five years ago.
