Hyperdrive
EV Sales Surge in UK as Carmakers Slash Prices to Dodge Fines
- Despite year-end jump, automakers still miss EV sales mandate
- Fleet buyers drove much of the demand for plug-ins last year
EV sales have held up better in the UK than in the European Union, where the removal of incentives in markets including Germany has stifled demand.
Photographer: Chris Ratcliffe/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
Almost one in three new cars registered in the UK last month were fully electric as automakers keep slashing prices of plug-in models to avoid fines.
Sales of battery-powered models jumped around 60% to nearly 44,000 units in December from a year earlier, according to preliminary data by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. EVs accounted for 31% of registrations, their highest monthly share in two years.