The UK’s new car market recorded its strongest February since 2004 last month, as electric and plug-in hybrid cars ate into the market share of petrol, diesel and 'self-charging' hybrids.
In total, 84,886 new cars were sold in February 2024, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). This was a 14.0% increase over the same month a year prior.
The SMMT said the “entirety” of the growth was a result of demand from fleets – to which sales of new cars rose by 25.2% compared with February 2023.
Meanwhile, deliveries to private individuals fell by 2.6%.