Car sales are at their lowest since 1946

Figures from industry body the SMMT revealed this morning that only 4,321 cars were registered in April 2020 - meaning car sales are at their lowest since 1946

Sales figures from April 2020, which reveal that petrol vehicles are down by 98.5% since 2019, diesel by 97.6% and interestingly, electric vehicles only down 9.7%, but you can read more information on the SMMT website here.


Jess Hartley, Marketing Director at ChooseMyCar comments:

 

œWith very few people on the roads, showrooms up and down the country being closed for the past six weeks, it's not surprising that UK car sales are at their lowest level since 1946, with similar dives in automotive sales being observed across Europe.  

 

Despite seeing a dramatic decline in car sales, it's interesting to see that, according to data by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, sales of battery-powered electric cars in Britain fell by only 9.7% last month, compared to a 98.5% plummet in petrol vehicle sales.  

 

In line with this, Tesla's new Model 3 was the biggest selling car model in April, as Musk's electric car company continued to sell cars throughout lockdown.

It's hard to know however, when widespread production will be back in full swing, meaning it may be a little while before we see these figures start to increase again. With so many people's livelihoods depending on the stability and strength of the industry, it is vital that as Britain begins to roadmap life after coronavirus, that the recovery and restoration of the UK automotive industry is built into this.  

 

Looking more longer-term, it will be interesting to see how this decline in car sales will affect the industry and car-buying for consumers. For example, with no-one really knowing how overseas shipping will be affected by coronavirus and current travel/shipping restrictions, it may be that supplies and production of new models and car parts are delayed. 

Furthermore, with economic hardship across the country (not only for those working in the automotive sector) people may be more likely to swap in their new buys for second-hand, cheaper-to-run motors."