DfT have just released the 2020 statistics on motor vehicles.

There were more new Battery Electric cars registered for the first time in 2020 than in all previous years combined. Recent trends in new vehicle registrations have been heavily affected by the measures implemented from March 2020 onwards to limit the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

During 2020, there were:

· 2.1 million vehicles were registered for the first time in Great Britain during 2020, 27% lower than during 2019

· During 2020, 179 thousand ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs) were registered for the first time in Great Britain, an increase of 125% on 2019. ULEVs made up 8.5% of all new registrations in 2020

· More alternative fuel cars (338 thousand) were registered for the first time in Great Britain during 2020 than diesel cars (295 thousand), following a 87% annual increase in alternative fuel cars year on year, amidst a sharp decline for both petrol and diesel cars.

· The most popular new car models registered in Great Britain in 2020 were Ford Fiesta (48 thousand), Vauxhall Corsa (46 thousand) and Volkswagen Golf (44 thousand).

There were more new Battery Electric cars registered for the first time in 2020 than in all previous years combined. In 2020, across all new alternative fuel car registrations in Great Britain, there were 164 thousand Hybrid Electric (HEVs), 107 thousand Battery Electric (BEVs), 67 thousand Plug-in Hybrid Electric (PHEVs), and fewer than 1 thousand using other alternative fuel types. New registrations of BEV cars nearly tripled in 2020 (+184%) compared to 2019, with more registered than in all previous years combined (2001 to 2019 new registrations: 101 thousand), which equates to 51% of all new BEV car registrations since 2001 occurring in 2020. Furthermore, 23% of all new HEV car registrations since 2001 occurred in 2020, and 29% of all new PHEV car registrations since 2001 occurred in 2020. New HEV car registrations increased by 51% in 2020 compared with 2019 and new PHEV car registrations increased by 92% over the same period.

At the end of 2020, there were 38.6 million licensed vehicles in Great Britain, a decrease of 0.3% compared to the end of 2019.

The decline in licensed vehicles at the end of 2020 was afected by increased levels of SORNs issued. At the end of December 2020, there were 38.6 million licensed vehicles in Great Britain, a 0.3% decrease compared to the end of December 2019. This is the fourth consecutive quarter where there was a year on year decline of licensed vehicles. Prior to 2020, this had only occurred once (in 1991) since the end of the Second World War

Click here for the full DfT report on 2020 vehicle statistics