UK car sales in June were the worst for 26 years as global shortages continued to take their toll on automobile production.
Registrations of new cars fell by 24.3% last month compared with a year ago, to 140,958 vehicles, reported the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)
In the first six months of 2022, roughly 800,000 new cars were sold around the country – a 12% reduction from the same period the previous year – with just 114,000 bought in June.
This was the second weakest performance in the first half of a year since 1992, the SMMT said.
Manufacturers’ orders have not always been fulfilled as the nearly two-and-a-half-year semiconductor shortage showed no sign of easing, with some drivers facing wait times of over a year for their vehicles.
Electric sales represented around 16% of new cars registered in June.
Ben Nelmes, New AutoMotive co-founder, attributed much of the shift towards electric vehicles to surging fuel prices that have been “driving consumers towards electric cars,” despite supply being unable to keep up with demand.