UK Car Registrations Reach 22-Year February High at 90,100

The United Kingdom's new car market achieved its strongest February performance in 22 years, with 90,100 vehicles registered last month, a 7.2 percent increase from the previous year. However, sales of Tesla vehicles plunged amid a slight decline in the overall market share for battery electric cars, highlighting uneven progress in the shift toward zero-emission vehicles.

Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders indicated that the total marked the highest February volume since 2004, driven primarily by a 17.6 percent rise in private retail registrations, which reached over 35,000 units. Fleet sales, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the market, grew by 1.8 percent, offsetting a 12.7 percent drop in lower-volume business registrations. Registrations for petrol vehicles increased 5.2 percent, while diesel fell 3.8 percent. Plug-in hybrid electric vehicles saw a sharp 43.5 percent surge.

Battery electric vehicle registrations rose 2.8 percent in absolute terms but slipped to 24.2 percent of the market from 25.3 percent a year earlier, marking the second consecutive monthly decline. Industry analysts attributed this partly to a strong sales surge at the start of...