New car registrations in the UK fell 1% in February, offsetting a rise in private and business buyer volumes and despite growing electric vehicle demand a jump in Tesla sales, industry data showed on Wednesday.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reported volumes of battery electric vehicles (BEV) rose 41.7% year-on-year, now accounting for one in four new cars sold in the month.
"Although February's figures show a subdued overall market, the good news is that electric car uptake is increasing, albeit at huge cost to manufacturers in terms of market support," said SMMT Chief Mike Hawes.
Elsewhere in Europe, Elon Musk's electric brand saw in February a continuation of the dramatic drop seen in January, which market analysts see as a brand loyalty test amid Musk's role in U.S. President Donald Trump's administration.
Tesla sales dropped by 42% in Sweden, 48% in both Norway and Denmark, 45% in France and 55% in Italy, official data shows.
Among Chinese automakers, newcomer Chery - which launched the Omoda 5 in September and the Jaecoo 7 in January - sold 1,244 cars, more than BYD's 1,177.
Overall, new car registrations dropped for the fifth consecutive month in February to 84,054 units.
SMMT said it expects EV sales in March to rise as buyers take advantage of the March number plate change to avoid an extra 2,125 pounds ($2,728.71) charge on BEVs with a list price above 40,000 pounds.
Global automakers continue to struggle with rising costs, sluggish demand and stiff competition from Chinese rivals, as well as stringent carbon regulation amidst the looming threat of tariffs under Trump's second presidency term.
Private registrations grew by 4.6% last month, resulting in a slight increase in the overall market share to 35.6%, the report added.
($1 = 0.7788 pounds)
