British car registrations increased in May to the highest level for that month since before the Covid pandemic, supported by rising sales from Chinese electric vehicle makers including BYD and Chery. Registrations grew 7 percent to 160,662, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Battery electric cars recorded the strongest gains and made up more than 27 percent of total sales. Chery registered 8,200 vehicles across its three brands, while BYD sold 5,200 units. In the first five months of the year, BYD sales doubled and Chery sales quadrupled. Registrations of MG cars, owned by China’s SAIC, rose 13 percent to nearly 7,500. Sales by Leapmotor and Geely reached 900 and 1,100 respectively after minimal volumes the previous year. Chinese brands have increased imports to the UK, which has avoided heavy tariffs. Demand for electric cars has also risen following grants introduced last July and higher fuel prices linked to the US-Israeli conflict in Iran. Tesla reported a 45 percent monthly sales increase, though year-to-date growth remained at 3 percent. The figures precede a planned share offering for SpaceX valued at 1.77 trillion dollars. Industry leaders noted that private buyers drove the strongest May growth since 2019 and that consumers are choosing lower-emission options amid elevated fuel costs. Electric vehicle sales remain below the headline 33 percent target but are estimated to meet an adjusted 24.6 percent requirement after accounting for regulatory flexibilities. Manufacturers continue to press for further easing of the zero-emission rules.
