UK Electric Car Sales Soar

September 20th, 2012 by James Ayre

In the UK, the government is reporting that 1,700 new electric cars were purchased between January 2011 and June 2012. Industry statistics, though, are suggesting that the real total may be well over 2,000.

1,700 new electric cars in the UK were registered under a government grant scheme after it began in January 2011, the new figures revealed. That’s more than double the 680 registered by the end of June 2011. However, the figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that the total is actually as high as 2,041.

Also reported, and of great interest, “since April 2002, the first quarter for which reliable CO2 emission values are recorded, the average emissions from new cars have fallen by 42 g/km, a decrease of around 24 per cent.” Much of this drop is being attributed to tighter environmental regulations, emissions targets forced on manufacturers, and a growing consumer demand for cars with better fuel efficiencies and lower vehicle excise duty rates.

Source: Business Green
Image: Nissan Leaf courtesy of Shutterstock

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Tags: department of transport electric car statistics, electric car grant scheme UK, government counting UK electric cars, Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, UK electric car sales, UK electric vehicles

About the Author

James Ayre 's background is predominantly in geopolitics and history, but he has an obsessive interest in pretty much everything. After an early life spent in the Imperial Free City of Dortmund, James followed the river Ruhr to Cofbuokheim, where he attended the University of Astnide. And where he also briefly considered entering the coal mining business. He currently writes for a living, on a broad variety of subjects, ranging from science, to politics, to military history, to renewable energy. You can follow his work on Google+.

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dddealer

All it needed was to simplify and make easy the recharging as this was always the key issue in the UK. I read in January that Continental AG had a new concept which would allow electric vehicles to be remotely charged away from domestic power sockets via a special EVPowerAPP. As this was one of the biggest challenges in the field of electric mobility, this resolution has obviously had a positive effect. So together with the government grant scheme will hopefully help towards a financially viable and greener future for the automotive industry.
http://twitter.com/Corbenic Trond Johannessen

In the UK, population 12 times Norway, and 18 months to reach 1.700 electric cars, vs 2400 registered in Norway in 2012 through August. The UK is so behind the curve that we can only encourage you to rethink every aspect of policy, of lobbying, and of infrastructure. The big bang promises of London infrastructure should in itself put London alone at least on twice the registrations of Norway. As some of the others indicate: you need to look up the meaning of the word “soar”.
- http://cleantechnica.com/ Zachary Shahan
  
  Ha. Well noted.
- Bob_Wallace
  
  EV sales in Norway have soared like an eagle and in the UK they’ve soared like a (b)eagle?
  - http://cleantechnica.com/ Zachary Shahan
    
    ha
http://www.the9billion.com/ John Johnston

Sure, I completely understand the exponential growth of technology, solar absolutely included as well. I just mean, saying “sales soar” in the headline might be a bit misleading for the average punter if they were to end up here. Probably doesn’t help the cause much. Then again, I guess that’s not really the readership.

All in all, it’s good news.
- http://cleantechnica.com/ Zachary Shahan
  
  agreed. crossed my mind. it is relative, but that probably isn’t evident to the majority.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PKBLDBYWRPMI7N3DTPQIZJJQTM Nuclear

Excellent. For a small island nation like Britain, they can install a EV charger every 10 miles and claim that its a fully Electrified nation. Later with the confidence of an available EV everywhere, more people will buy EVs & Plugins.
http://www.facebook.com/matthew.t.peffly Matthew Todd Peffly

The key during the early market days is to look at % change year to year. Think cell phone adaption.
http://www.the9billion.com/ John Johnston

2000 in 6 months isn’t exactly soaring, but it certainly seems like a positive trend in the right direction.
- Bob_Wallace
  
  Might want to see if you can find first year sales numbers for the Toyota Prius.
  
  Either globally or in the US (forget the area) the Volt and Leaf have sold a lot more units in their first year than did the Toyota and Honda hybrids in their first market year.
  
  And first year or two sales is not a very good indicator of future sales. Big technology innovations take a little time to get a foothold and get past all the negativity that generally is poured on things new.
  
  EVs have received a tremendous amount of bad press. One person fails to pay attention to their owner’s manual and ruins their EV batteries and the press goes full blaze over “bricking”.
  
  Being negative and cynical is so, so fashionable….