Diesel car sales dip in UK as drivers shift gear to electric

More consumers in the UK are purchasing petrol and electric vehicles and shunning diesel cars.

Diesel car sales fell by around 20,000 from just under 102,000 in May 2016 to 81,489 last month.

In the same period, sales of petrol cars increased slightly to 96,518.  A total of 8,258 vehicles using hybrid and electric motors were sold in May 2017, compared to 5,630 the same time last year.

The UK-based motor industry’s trade body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), said the impeding election had given buyers “pause for thought”.

The society also said that a dip had been "expected" because it followed a surge of car purchases in March, when buyers bought cars in order to avoid impending increases in vehicle excise duty, but it said that the decline in diesel sales was part of a series of fluctuations.

Nearly 100,000 more petrol-driven cars have been sold than diesels, so far this year.

More than half of the cars sold in 2017 have been petrol, while diesel's share of the market, at 44%, is less than it has been for years.

In recent months, Diesel engines have been blamed for respiratory illnesses and poor air quality, with threats of penalties being imposed on the drivers of some diesel cars.

However, the SMMT remains steadfast that diesel engines are here to stay.

Chief executive Mike Hawes said: "Diesel cars continue to be a popular choice for UK consumers and businesses, with more registered in 2016 than in any previous year, and the newest diesels will be vital to improving air quality and reducing CO₂ emissions up to 2020 and beyond.”

This story was written by Liz Gyekye, editor of Biofuels International.