According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), new car sales were down 24.6% in October compared to the same month last year.
There were 106,265 registrations last month, with sales plummeting for the fourth month in a row as semiconductor shortages continued to hurt new vehicle supplies.
However, acceptance of plug-in vehicles remained positive, with electric vehicles reaching their market share of 15.2% in September and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) increasing their share to 7.9%.
The SMMT predicts that new car sales will end the year at 1.66 million, 1.9% more than 2020, with a “partial recovery” in 2022.
Mike Hawes, SMMT managing director, said: “Current performance reflects difficult supply shortages as the industry battles semiconductor shortages and increasing economic headwinds as inflation rises, taxes rise and consumer confidence fades.
“However, electrified vehicles continue to buck the trend, with almost every sixth newly registered car being emission-free this year.
