Upon their reopening today, British showrooms will offer around 460 models and 4650 standard specifications, with a selection deemed “the cleanest ever” by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The selection stands as the wisest ever choice of zero emission cars, accounting for one in three available models. New vehicle uptake is essential if the UK is to reach its emission reduction goals, as ICE-models are taken off the road and replaced by their electric counter parts.
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Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: “After one of the hardest years in living memory for everyone, reopening showrooms today takes the handbrake off UK Auto.”
Dealerships across the UK were closed on the 5 January 2021 as part of the national lockdown. During the first quarter of 2021, new car registrations were down 37.1% when compared to the average for 2010-2019.
Hawes continued: “As the automotive sector counts the cost of £22.2 billion lost in turnover during the pandemic, we hope today marks the start of that recovery, as well as giving consumers ever more choice for their motoring needs.”
According to the SMMT, the return of sales to typical levels by the end of the year would require the purchasing of a new car every 12 seconds. Subsequently, full recovery of the car industry by the end of the year remains unlikely.
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By GlobalDataPrioritising a green recovery, Hawes believes that the “widest and greenest choice of cars ever seen” will help to accelerate the bounce back of the industry.
While new car emissions have fallen by 21.7% across the last decade, the SMMT recently called for greater support for private retail uptake of EVs, as research revealed that businesses are twice as likely as consumers to make the switch from petrol or diesel.
To level the playing field, the SMMT launched a blueprint to deliver greater retail uptake – calling for government and stakeholders to prioritise overcoming consumer concerns through fairer incentives and a commitment to expanding public charging infrastructure.
Consumer acceptance of EVs remains low, says the SMMT, because of concerns over affordability, charge point availability and infrastructure reliability. Around one in three households have no dedicated off-street parking, leaving them disproportionately dependent on public charging points – of which around one in 10 are out of order at any given time.
