Refile: UPDATE 1-UK battery EV sales hit 1 million mark, but help needed - SMMT

Hyundai

05/02/2024 09:45

(Corrects ticker symbol; no changes to text)
       Feb 5 (Reuters) - Britain sold its one millionth battery
electric vehicle (BEV) in January despite a drop in private
buyer demand, an industry body said Monday, calling on the
government to provide relief to buyers in next month's budget.
    Overall new car sales in January rose 8.2% to 147,876 units,
the best since 2020, buoyed by strong demand in the fleet
market, The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)
said.
    Total BEV sales for the month rose 21% to 20,935 units, with
fleet and business demand for BEVs up 41.7% but registrations by
private buyers down 25.1% – an ongoing trend that will undermine
Britain’s ability to deliver net zero, SMMT added.
    Ahead of next month's budget, the industry body called for
Britain to support consumers by temporarily halving VAT on new
BEV purchases.
    "Manufacturers have been asked to supply the vehicles, we
now ask government to help consumers buy the vehicles on which
net zero depends,” SMMT CEO Mike Hawes said in a statement.
        While total new car sales forecast for 2024 is now
estimated to be 4,000 units higher, the BEV forecast has been
reduced to a market share of 21% over the year, down from 22.3%
anticipated in October.

 (Reporting by Prerna Bedi in Bengaluru; Editing by Eileen
Soreng and Varun H K)
 ((Prerna.Bedi@thomsonreuters.com; +91 98052 24616;))