The new car market in Northern Ireland fell for the second time this year, down by 2.3% in October to 3,732 new registrations, latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show.
But that percentage fall is much better than the overall UK figure (down more than 6%), and on a year-on-year basis figures are 7.45% ahead of where they were in October 2023, with 42,929 new vehicles sold in the north.
The fall was driven by drops in petrol and diesel vehicle deliveries, while here was a decline in the uptake of hybrid electric vehicles (EVs), but a fall in registrations of plug-in hybrid EVs.
Pure battery EVs bucked the trend across the UK, with growth of 24.5% amid the introduction of a raft of new models.
According to the SMMT, new car buyers in the UK now have more than 125 different battery EV models to choose from – an uplift of 38% over the last 10 months.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “Massive manufacturer investment in model choice and market support is helping make the UK the second largest EV market in Europe. But that transition must not perversely slow down the reduction of carbon emissions from road transport.
“Fleet renewal across the market remains the quickest way to decarbonise, so diminishing overall uptake is not good news for the economy, for investment or for the environment.
“EVs already work for many people and businesses, but to shift the entire market at the pace demanded requires significant intervention on incentives, infrastructure and regulation.”
Chris Leslie from car finance group MAF said: “The inertia sweeping the car market seems only to be worsening.
“Even though battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales are holding-up well and its share of the market increasing, the overall market has declined in a way that highlights the long road ahead for those looking to speed up the transition to zero emission vehicles.
“In the Budget, the Government reaffirmed a commitment to the 2030 target, but there was no outline of the policies that might lift private buyer demand for EVs.”
He added: “Last month private purchases for all types of new cars fell 12% on the year prior, indicating just how few government incentives there are for your average consumer to swap-out their vehicle.”
