UK car industry suffers weakest March for new sales since 1998
April 5, 2022, 12:47 pm

UK car industry suffers weakest March for new sales since 1998

The UK’s automotive industry suffered its worst March for new car sales since 1998 (File photo: Pixabay)

According to new figures, the Standard news website reported, the UK’s automotive industry suffered its worst March for new car sales since 1998.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said that just 243,479 new cars were registered last month.That is down 14.3% compared with March 2021.

According to the report, it is the lowest March total since 1998, which was prior to the introduction of new number plates every March and September.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes described the figures as “deeply disappointing”, with March crucial for the industry because it is normally the busiest month of the year as buyers demand the latest number plate.

He said: “While demand remains robust, this decline illustrates the severity of the global semiconductor shortage, as manufacturers strive to deliver the latest, lowest emission vehicles to eagerly awaiting customers.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said that just 243,479 new cars were registered in March. That is down 14.3% compared with March 2021 (File photo: Pixabay)

“Placing orders now will be beneficial for those looking to take advantage of incentives and lower running costs for electric vehicles, especially as the Ukraine crisis could affect supply still further.

“With increasing household and business costs, Government must do all it can to support consumers so that the growth of electric vehicles can be sustained and the UK’s ambitious net zero timetable delivered.”

The UK has pledged to reach net zero for carbon emissions by 2050.

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The help achieve this, sales of new petrol and diesel cars and vans will be banned from 2030.

Last month the Department for Transport announced a plan to increase the number of public electric vehicle chargepoints in the UK from 30,000 to 300,000 by that date.

A record 64,165 battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were registered in March.

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That is up 78.7% on the same month in 2021, taking a 16.1% market share.

More BEVs were registered last month than during the whole of 2019.

Source: standard

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Upon arriving to participate in the summit of the European Political Community, which includes around forty heads of state in Budapest, he said, "I look forward to sitting with the elected U.S. president and seeing how we will collectively ensure we meet challenges, including the threats from Russia and North Korea." He also noted that the strengthening of ties between Russia and North Korea poses a threat to the United States as well, according to reports from Agence France-Presse.

Before Trump's victory, Rutte expressed confidence that a united Washington would remain part of the defensive alliance, even if Trump became the 47th president of the United States. In an interview with German public broadcaster ZDF last Monday night, he stated that both Republicans and Democrats understand that NATO serves not only the security of Europe but also that of America. He added that both candidates are aware that the security of the United States is closely tied to NATO.

On Wednesday, NATO congratulated Trump on his victory but did not address the Ukrainian issue.

It is noteworthy that the relationship between the elected U.S. president and the defense alliance was not the best during his first term in the White House. Trump criticized NATO member states multiple times and even hinted at withdrawing from the alliance unless they increased their financial contributions.

Additionally, the issue of the Russian-Ukrainian war is one of the matters that complicate relations between the two sides, especially since Trump has repeatedly stated that he can end this ongoing conflict, which began in 2022, quickly. He implied that he had a peace plan between Kyiv and Moscow, while his vice president, JD Vance, revealed aspects of that plan, which stipulated Ukraine's commitment not to join NATO, thereby sending reassuring signals to the Russians.

Furthermore, many NATO member states in Europe fear that Trump might halt military aid to Ukraine after he previously criticized the U.S. for pouring funds into supporting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.