This week we were proud to launch our first radio ad for commercial UK radio.
Like our TV ad, it features a cheeky sat nav with a mind of its own which once again helpfully suggests Motorway as the fast and easy way to sell your car.
The advert explains how you could get up to £1,000 more by using Motorway to compare offers.
You can hear it airing on commercial radio stations including Absolute Radio and talkSPORT throughout 2019.
Listen to the Motorway radio ad on stations including Absolute Radio and talkSPORT
We are really proud of the finished recording and would like to thank Space City who produced it working with MNC, as well as voiceover artists Elizabeth Saary and Paul Seed.
Motorway, the UK’s fastest-growing online marketplace for used cars, today reveals record growth in transactions on its platform as buyers and sellers embrace the opportunity to buy and sell cars entirely online.
Having paused trading during the lockdown, Motorway restarted its service for private car sellers and dealers nationwide on May 11th, along with free, no-contact transport for every transaction. It has since seen 100% week-on-week growth in transactions, achieving £4.9m in sales last week, and a record £1.39m completed on June 10th. Over 250 new dealerships have started buying cars in its daily auctions since lockdown restrictions were eased, joining over 1,000 already using the platform. This recent performance surpasses figures from before the lockdown, supporting reports that the market is surging back to life.
To respond to huge market demand, the three-year-old start-up is now expanding its 70-strong team to reach 100 by the end of the year, as it leads a drive for efficiency and online transactions in the used car market.
Motorway connects car sellers with dealerships looking to buy stock via a purely online platform, helping both parties get the best deal by removing middlemen and automating the sale process. It charges dealers a fee for each successful sale, and is free for consumers to sell their car, with each vehicle collected from their home in a contact-free transaction.
Key stats from Motorway include:
Over 60,000 customer sale enquiries since the start of May
£4.9m in weekly sales and a record £1.39m on a single day
480% increase in revenue over the past four weeks
Sustained improvement in car sale valuations achieved in its auctions. On average, Motorway’s sellers are receiving £480 more for their cars in June than in May.
The company is now looking to expand its 70-strong team to 100 in the next three months to help fulfil market demand for its service.
Huge demand from consumers looking to sell their cars, along with safety concerns around visiting physical dealerships, is shifting behaviour to all-online solutions, which Motorway is leading. Motorway’s model – connecting private sellers directly with dealers – results in much faster transactions for everyone.
Tom Leathes, Motorway’s CEO, comments on surging growth in used car sales
Tom Leathes, CEO of Motorway, says:
“We have been growing rapidly for the past twelve months as the automotive market continues its shift online. The coronavirus pandemic has accelerated that trend, and we’re now seeing unprecedented demand for our service, from car sellers and dealers alike.
“Unlike many other industries, the used car market is now looking stronger than it has been for months. Consumers wanting a quick sale for the best price, and dealers looking to replenish their stock, are now embracing the efficiency of doing everything online with Motorway.
“The car industry has been behind others in embracing technology, but that is changing – and there will be no return to how things were. Motorway is delighted to be at the forefront of a fundamental movement towards a better experience for the long term. We look forward to continuing to drive technology to help the used car industry get back on the road.”
“With ballooning sales and a surge in new dealers signing up, Motorway’s experience suggests strong growth ahead in the used car market. Motorway expects this trend to continue through 2020 as both car sellers and dealers adapt to the post-Covid market with a much greater focus on efficiency, speed and transparency.”
Prestige used cars have proven to be ‘pandemic-proof’, with average prices of some of the most popular luxury brands – such as Land Rover, Lexus and Maserati – more than 8% higher than 12 months ago, according to research by Motorway.
Motorway looked at thousands of valuations on its platform, which revealed that the average price of a used Maserati in June 2020 was £34,170, compared to £31,052 in the corresponding month in 2019, an increase of £3,118 or 10%.
While in the same month, the average price of a second-hand Land Rover at £30,834, was up more than £2,000 or 8.5% compared to 12 months ago (£28,420). And the average value of a Lexus was £22,446 compared to £20,627 the previous year, an 8.8% uplift.
Lexus has proved a ‘pandemic proof’ brand since lockdown restrictions were eased
Across mid and lower-end brands, Smart and Citreon have seen used car prices increase more than 6% in 2020 vs 2019. Toyota second-hand prices have fallen 2.9% though.
Table: 20 major car brands and how average used car prices compare in 2020 vs 2019.
Car Brand
Average price – 2019
Average price – 2020
Difference (£)
Increase/ (decrease) in price (%)
Maserati
£31,052
£34,170
£3,118
10.0%
Lexus
£20,627
£22,446
£1,818
8.8%
Land Rover
£28,420
£30,834
£2,414
8.5%
Smart
£6,098
£6,510
£412
6.8%
Citroen
£6,875
£7,324
£449
6.5%
Porsche
£40,376
£42,618
£2,241
5.6%
Mini
£10,110
£10,506
£396
3.9%
Seat
£10,153
£10,521
£368
3.6%
Honda
£11,927
£12,257
£331
2.8%
BMW
£17,375
£17,747
£372
2.1%
Peugeot
£8,716
£8,901
£185
2.1%
Audi
£18,193
£18,449
£256
1.4%
Volvo
£17,190
£17,408
£219
1.3%
Volkswagen
£12,826
£12,926
£100
0.8%
Jaguar
£21,401
£21,445
£44
0.2%
Skoda
£11,743
£11,632
-£111
-0.9%
Mercedes-Benz
£18,200
£17,949
-£251
-1.4%
Mitsubishi
£15,013
£14,747
-£266
-1.8%
Hyundai
£10,869
£10,664
-£205
-1.9%
Toyota
£11,980
£11,635
-£345
-2.9%
Alex Buttle, director of Motorway comments:
“The prestige end of the used car market has shown remarkable resilience during lockdown and since restrictions were eased, any expected drop off in values just hasn’t materialised. This has led to higher-than-expected offers for sellers with quality used vehicles on our website.
“Demand from dealers has been high for top-end brands with car owners attracted to the second-hand market where two to three-year old cars can be picked up at affordable prices.
“For example, Land Rover drivers looking to upgrade their cars, can find three-year-old, fifth generation Discoveries, for just over £30k as opposed to paying upwards of £60k new.
“We’re also seeing more luxury car owners who would normally buy new, turning to the used car market. People still want a nice car, but with the short to medium term economic outlook remaining uncertain, many owners are understandably reluctant to commit to buying expensive new cars on finance at the moment.
“There is a real appetite for quality used cars, and this is born out in our data. This increased demand is squeezing supply levels, particularly on the budget and premium end, but also at the mid-range too. It’s all combining to create upward pressure on prices across the board. This trend has continued into July and August, and will likely remain into the rest of the year as people return to work after the summer holidays.”
The Motorway Used Carometer reveals the average price of used cars valued on its platform each month. It is based on market valuations of premium used cars on Motorway over £10k, less than five-years-old, with under 50,000 miles on the clock. Now more than ever, consumers need a reliable source of truth to gauge how much money they’ll need to spend to get a quality used car.
The UK government may be banning new sales of diesel and petrol cars from 2030, but the used market for diesel is definitely on the up. After several years of plummeting diesel car prices, Motorway’s data also reveals that the average price of a used diesel car has been steadily rising month-on-month. The average price for diesel used cars were +3% higher in September than August and October prices were +1% higher than September.
This rise, coupled with a +10% increase in the number of car valuations for Land Rover in October demonstrates increased demand for these premium SUVs in the used car market. In fact, Jaguar Land Rover’s fightback continued with used Jaguar cars rising +4%, almost £1,000, on September prices and climbing +8%, £1,862 higher than 12 months ago.
Used Land Rover sales have been surprisingly robust throughout 2020
Tom Leathes, CEO of Motorway comments:
“With the ongoing pandemic, and restrictions set to continue through the winter, people are turning to the car market to avoid public transport and travel safely. However, with the uncertain economic outlook, many consumers are reluctant to buy new. Instead, they are choosing to buy used cars and we have seen a significant increase in demand across more-expensive brands like Jaguar, Land Rover, Mercedes and BMW, which is keeping used car prices strong across the premium vehicle sector.
“Our data also clearly shows consumers are not turning their back on fossil fuels just yet. While new car sales continue to drop, consumers are quickly realising they can get a great deal on a top of the range Land Rover that’s only a few years old, instead of dropping £60k on a new one, or on a new electric car.
“As a result, Jaguar Land Rover is now enjoying a renaissance in used vehicle demand that it may not have seen if not for the pandemic. We think the government’s changing legislation on fuel is unlikely to impact consumer appetite for premium used cars at a good price over the next twelve months.”
High risers
Overall, the most popular cars on Motorway among dealers in October were the likes of Mercedes, BMW and Audi, with average prices holding at around £20K and all three brands performing well against October 2019 prices.
The highest rising car brand was Mazda in October, with average prices up +7% on September, at £14,994 vs. £14,018 and +11% on the year before, rising by £1,447. This was followed by Jeep and then Honda which each had respective uplifts of +6% and +5%, compared to September. Porsche bounced back from last month’s drop and has now returned to its previous summer prices, jumping +4%, an increase of £1,444.
EV price wars
It’s not just diesel that is on the rise. October was another strong month for used electric vehicles, proving there is appetite for both when it comes to used cars – average prices of EVs were £31,663, an uplift of 11% or £3,231. The most popular EV was unsurprisingly the Tesla Model 3, at £33,611, up almost +3% on September prices and +7% on the previous year.
Jaguar Land Rover also performed well in the EV category, with the average price of a second-hand Jaguar I-PACE up +1% on the previous month to £54,280, while the Nissan Leaf held strong with a +0.5% uplift and an average price of £19,316.
Mid-level & value cars
Across mid-level and value brands, Ford and Peugeot saw a minor dip in average prices in October of around -1% while Vauxhall and Skoda second-hand prices both fell by 4%. Although the average price of a used Mini dipped by £122 in October, overall this brand is still a consumer favourite, up +7% or £1,000 on the same time last year.
TheMotorway Used Caromoter helps inform consumers what they can currently expect to get for their car or pay for a used one. Instead of fairytale guide prices that are unlikely to come true, The Motorway Used Carometer uses real, aggregated data from multiple sources to provide a true picture of average prices in the last month, and year, to identify trends for the months ahead*.
Car Brand
Average price: Oct 2020
September: Price increase/ decrease (%)
Difference (£)
October 2019: Price increase/ decrease (%)
Difference (£)
MAZDA
£14,994
6.97%
£976
10.70%
£1,447
JEEP
£16,217
6.63%
£1,009
7.10%
£1,069
HONDA
£16,186
4.59%
£710
6.47%
£983
JAGUAR
£24,066
4.05%
£937
8.39%
£1,862
PORSCHE
£39,548
3.79%
£1,444
1.21%
£473
BMW
£20,452
2.34%
£469
2.80%
£557
FERRARI
£106,397
1.89%
£1,972
-15.54%
-£19,577
LAND ROVER
£29,426
1.87%
£540
3.61%
£1,025
NISSAN
£14,563
1.20%
£173
-0.03%
-£4
VOLKSWAGEN
£16,324
1.01%
£163
-0.79%
-£130
MERCEDES-BENZ
£20,065
0.97%
£193
1.62%
£322
HYUNDAI
£15,011
0.83%
£124
-3.95%
-£617
CITROEN
£12,486
0.76%
£94
9.16%
£1,048
TOYOTA
£15,417
0.62%
£96
-6.38%
-£1,051
SEAT
£13,999
-0.06%
-£8
2.63%
£359
AUDI
£20,009
-0.35%
-£71
1.36%
£269
BENTLEY
£54,955
-0.74%
-£409
3.52%
£1,868
MINI
£14,123
-0.86%
-£122
7.65%
£1,004
FORD
£15,260
-0.91%
-£140
-2.79%
-£438
PEUGEOT
£15,660
-0.94%
-£148
-0.31%
-£48
VAUXHALL
£12,112
-3.56%
-£447
-3.10%
£391
VOLVO
£20,414
-1.32%
-£273
0.40%
£84
TESLA
£46,085
-1.89%
-£887
-7.21%
-£3,579
LEXUS
£20,459
-3.45%
-£731
-2.20%
-£460
SKODA
£16,087
-4.34%
-£731
6.28%
£950
25 major car brands in the Motorway Used Carometer and how average used car prices compare in October 2020 vs. September 2020 and October 2019.
When it comes to getting the right price for a used car, consumers shouldn’t be in a position where they have to accept low or cheeky offers. Motorway helps drivers secure the best deal for their car from a used car marketplace of 1,500+ trusted dealers nationwide. Car owners can sell fast, as well as safely, with minimum hassle, for the best price. Rather than losing money through a middle-man, Motorway connects private sellers directly with dealers across the country – ensuring they get the best price and a trustworthy service, all in as little as 24 hours.
Brits are embracing electric cars more than ever before, with demand causing the average price of a used electric car to be +34% higher in September 2020 than in the same month last year, according to new data revealed by Motorway.
Motorway today launches its monthly barometer revealing the average price of used cars valued on its platform each month, as well as the same time last year. Now more than ever, consumers need a reliable source of truth to gauge how much money they can get for their car from professional buyers.
Instead of fairytale guide prices that are unlikely to come true, The Motorway Used Carometer uses real, aggregated data from multiple sources to provide a true picture of average prices in the last month, and year, to identify trends for the months ahead. It is based on market valuations of premium used cars on Motorway over £10k, less than five-years-old, with under 50,000 miles on the clock.
Tesla has had the biggest price increase compared to September 2019, up +11%, equating to an average of £4,746 more per vehicle. In fact, the average price of a used Tesla increased by +3% in September from the previous month, underlining a clear trend in increased demand for cleaner EVs, perhaps for good.
This marries with new car registrations too, with the SMMT reporting a 184% increase in pure-electric registrations in September compared to the previous year. With Tesla resale prices surging, the brand could well be one to invest in for the future.
Tesla: the in-demand electric car brand of 2020
High risers
Other brands that tipped the scale in September included Peugeot, Skoda, Mercedes and Volvo – with average prices rising between +3 to 5% on August prices. Peugeot made the top of the list, with the highest rising prices at +6% compared to August, while it is also +7% up on the same month last year.
Tom Leathes, CEO of Motorway comments:
“Since coming out of lockdown, the used car market has seen incredible month-on-month growth. With an uncertain economic outlook, many people are moving away from buying a new car and choosing used to find more value. And commuters are looking for alternatives to public transport to stay safe – and they’re turning to the second hand market too.
“This combined impact means resilient prices for car sellers with quality used vehicles – and this is borne out in our data. Not only are the majority of brands in our barometer achieving prices higher than the previous month, they are up on the same time last year, before the pandemic hit.
“Dealers, hungry for quality stock they can sell at affordable prices, are also pushing prices up. From Tesla and MINI, to Peugeot and even showstoppers like Ferrari and Lamborghini, sale prices show no signs of slowing down as we near the end of the year.
“Consumers that usually go for new cars have woken up to the benefits of the used car market, and we expect strong market growth to continue long into the future. In highly uncertain times, that is real cause for celebration.”
Fuel wars
Dieselgate and the pollution levies over the last three year resulted in diesel car prices plummeting. But that fall has now come to an end: September bucked the trend with diesel actually rising +3% on August car prices, and +2% compared to September 2019. Petrol cars didn’t fare as well, dropping an average of 9% on last year’s car prices, while hybrid cars also fell, by 5%. This may indicate a natural levelling out following a period of turbulent fuel-based valuations.
Super cars, super prices
With interest rates staying low, there is strong demand from high earners for expensive prestige used vehicles. It was a great month for brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini, Bentley and Aston Martin which saw between +6 to 16% increase. However, it wasn’t all rosy for super cars. Perhaps because many buyers are avoiding flashiness and looking for more practicality during lockdown, Porsche saw a 10% drop from August and 4% from last year.
Back to black
Some things rarely change. Black is still the most popular car to sell, followed by grey, then white. But turquoise came out the highest rising colour of the month, +46% up on August and almost +30% up on last year. At the other end of the scale, purple, a colour most notably associated with royalty, is very much out of favour, averaging 20% less than August and 50% less than last year.
The Motorway Used Caromoter helps inform consumers what they can currently expect to get for their car. When it comes to getting the right price for a used car, consumers shouldn’t be in a position where they have to accept low or cheeky offers.
Motorway helps drivers secure the best deal for their car from a used car marketplace of 1,500+ trusted dealers nationwide. Car owners can sell fast, as well as safely, with minimum hassle, for the best price. Rather than losing money through a middle-man, Motorway connects private sellers directly with dealers across the country – ensuring they get the best price and the most trustworthy response, all in as little as 24 hours.
Rapid growth leads to referral partnership with MoneySuperMarket
4x YoY sales growth: Mar 20 – Mar 21
Over £500m in sales transactions in the last year – £2.5m in car sales a day
Upwards of 4,000 car sales a month
Record of £10m in weekly sales in Mar 21
2.5m consumers registered on the platform
Doubled headcount in a year to 130
Motorway, the UK’s fastest-growing online marketplace for used cars, today reveals its revenues have more than tripled in size in a year as it plays a key role in the digital transformation of the auto trade industry.
Motorway – the UK’s fastest-growing used car marketplace
The three year old startup connects consumers looking to sell their car with car dealers looking to acquire stock. By removing the traditional middlemen and moving the process entirely online, Motorway’s service gets the best deal for both parties rapidly.
As millions of consumers go online to sell their car and dealers turn their back on physical auctions in favour of a digital alternative, Motorway has seen rapid YoY sales growth, generating £2.5m of car sales a day and completing over £500m in sales transactions in the last year. This translates to upwards of 200 sales a day and 4,000+ sales a month, with sales in the last week of March hitting a record £10m.
While national lockdowns due to COVID-19 have accelerated its growth, Motorway’s continued efforts to improve the customer experience through its powerful technology platform have ensured sales have tripled in just 12 months. There are now 2.5m registered UK consumers on the platform and the number of verified dealers in its nationwide network has doubled to over 3,000.
Motorway’s strong financial performance has been matched with increasing its headcount to 130, double that of the previous year.
On the back of this growth, Motorway has now agreed a referral partnership with MoneySuperMarket that will drive visitors to sell their car through Motorway. Visitors to MoneySuperMarket interested in selling their car can click straight through to Motorway to receive an instant valuation based on their latest data. Motorway will then find the best offer from over 3,000 verified dealers and will sell the car for free in as little as 24 hours.
Tom Leathes, CEO of Motorway, says:
“The car industry is undergoing a massive transformation towards digital and the incredible growth we have delivered in the last year demonstrates that Motorway is at the absolute heart of this. Providing car sellers with a fast and convenient way to sell their car for the best price, without leaving home has resonated with millions of people across the UK. And now, through our new partnership with MoneySuperMarket, we will bring our service to an even greater audience, as we continue our mission to ensure selling a car becomes more efficient and enjoyable for everyone involved.
“With major investment in our technology, team and service, we’re now completing over 4,000 successful car sales a month for sellers and dealers, completely remotely. So why would anyone ever go back?”
Kate Devine, Head of Car Insurance at MoneySuperMarket said:
“Our mission is to help households save money and our new partnership with Motorway gives us another way to do just that, expanding our offer. Motorway are reinventing the way people sell their cars online, helping those selling their cars to find a great deal by comparing offers from thousands of dealers. Motorway’s product simplifies the process of selling a car, taking away the hassle with their innovative approach, meaning many people can sell their car in as little as 24 hours, with free home collection and instant payment.”
Hugo Burge, Investor and Non-Executive Chairman of Motorway, says:
“The global pandemic has forced companies everywhere to be more agile, more relevant and more customer-focused. Internet brands are built on these pillars and Motorway is a powerful example of how to do it right. Rather than with a huge marketing spend to date, their accelerated growth has been driven by combining a great product with amazing reviews and incredible word of mouth. This impressive financial performance demonstrates that their commitment to making the market more transparent to find everyone a good deal is really paying off.”
Motorway, the UK’s fastest-growing online marketplace for used cars has appointed Lloyd Page as its first CMO.
For the last two years, Page has been Marketing Director at MoneySuperMarket where he played an integral role in the brand relaunch and Get Money Calm brand positioning, including the introduction of the Money Calm Bull creative platform. Page will now be spear-heading the execution of Motorway’s brand vision and marketing strategy, turning Motorway into a household name.
Lloyd Page began his career at Virgin Trains in 2000, before taking on a global role at Vodafone. He then transitioned into senior brand and digital marketing roles at John Lewis. He joined Virgin Media as Director of Brand and Brand Communications in 2016, until 2018 when he moved to MoneySuperMarket.
Page has joined Motorway, a fast-growing digital disruptor of the car market, at a time when the brand has seen unprecedented growth – completing thousands of car sales a month as more consumers than ever flock to the platform to sell their car to a verified dealer in a fast and contact-free manner. The team has doubled to over 100 staff in the last year.
Lloyd Page, formerly Marketing Director at MoneySuperMarket has joined Motorway as CMO
Tom Leathes, CEO of Motorway, says:
“Lloyd is joining us at a time when the car industry is undergoing a massive transformation towards digital and Motorway is at the absolute heart of this. We’ve always been a 100% online business, helping customers sell their car quickly, conveniently and for the best price, without leaving home.
“We’ve had an incredible year of growth and development and now it’s time to take our brand to the next level. That’s where Lloyd comes in. His big brand experience from John Lewis and Virgin Media through to MoneySuperMarket is the perfect combination of what we need – a brand and customer-led marketing guru, combined with unparalleled digital expertise.”
Lloyd Page, CMO of Motorway, says:
“The global pandemic has been a challenging time for most brands – finding a way to solve a real customer need and execute on this has been the key to driving brand engagement and business growth. And Motorway has nailed this – they’ve disrupted an industry that was in desperate need of modernising and they’ve simplified the confusing and time-consuming process of selling a car, as well as making it safer during national lockdowns.
“Whilst we will continue to be restless in developing our offer, the customer proposition and outcome Motorway provides drives real customer value. So our next step will be to scale up and evolve our brand and marketing strategy, making Motorway the first port of call for anyone looking to sell a used car.”
We are excited to announce we’ve launched a brand new website to make it easier than ever to sell your car.
Find your best offer from 3,000+ verified dealers and you could get £1,000 more than part exchange or selling direct to a dealer yourself. Selling your car is always completely free with Motorway, with no service fees, free home collection and instant same-day payment.
Since 2017, we’ve helped thousands of people sell their car and are very proud of our ‘Excellent’ rating on Trustpilot, with over 8,000 verified reviews.
Selling via Motorway’s nationwide network of verified dealers is subject to vehicle eligibility. For those vehicles we can’t sell directly to dealers, we will offer an alternative selling route with a trusted partner.
I have a current offer for my vehicle from an online car buyer which I am considering, can I still access and accept the offer?
The offer from the specific buyer will still be accessible and available for you to accept, subject to the details relating to timing etc. However, you will not be able to access other options other than from The Car Buying Group on our website.
I have a current offer from The Car Buying Group or Car Take Back, can I still access and accept the offer?
The offer from The Car Buying Group or Car Take Back will still be accessible and available for you to accept.
We are excited to announce that we have launched a new radio advert today across commercial UK radio.
The ad features a voiceover by Neil Morrissey, one of the UK’s most well-known actors. Neil is familiar from numerous TV programmes including Men Behaving Badly, Line Of Duty, The Night Manager, Skins and Bob The Builder.
The creative called ‘All In One Place’, puts you in the heart of a live car auction where the amount of money you get offered for your vehicle keeps on going up and up.
The experience is explained as being just like selling with Motorway – the comparison site to sell your car!
We are really pleased with the concept and production and would like to thank Neil Morrissey for his voiceover work and Space City who produced the advert from start to finish.
You can hear the ad airing on commercial radio stations within the Global and Bauer Media groups throughout 2020. The campaign was planned by Rocket and Mark Helm Media.
Exeter is the UK’s greenest motoring hotspot, with the fastest growth in ULEV ownership since 2018, up more than 150%, according to DVLA registration data analysed by Motorway.
A Freedom of Information (FOI) submission was made by Motorway.co.uk to the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) in December 2019, requesting the most up-to-date figures on Ultra Low Emissions Vehicles (ULEVs) registered in the UK. ULEV figures include all-electric vehicles, electric range-extender vehicles and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs).
The latest figures*, broken down by region and local authority, reveals the total number of ULEVs registered in the Exeter local authority, as of Q3 2019, was 1,194. This compares to just 464 in Q3 2018; that’s an increase of 157%. Next on the list is Warwick, where the take-up of ULEVs has more than doubled (128%) over the same period.
ULEV is the term used to describe any vehicle that uses low carbon technologies, emits less than 75g of CO2/km from the tailpipe and is capable of operating in zero tailpipe emission zone for a range of at least 10 miles (SMMT). ULEVs range from pure electric vehicles and fuel cell electric vehicles, to plug-in hybrids and extended range electric vehicles.
According to FOI data, seven of the top ten local authorities for ULEV registrations since 2018, are London boroughs, with Newham and Waltham Forest seeing annual growth of 114% and 82% respectively. At the bottom of the green motoring table are Sunderland and Wychavon, a district in Worcestershire, where ULEV numbers have grown less than 7% over the past 12 months.
The following table shows the ten local authorities that have seen the fastest growth in ULEV registrations, 2019 vs 2018.
Local Authority
Number of ULEVs registered (Q3-2018)
Number of ULEVs registered (Q3-2019)
% Increase in ULEVs
Exeter
464
1,194
157.3%
Warwick
414
943
127.8%
Newham
307
657
114.0%
Waltham Forest
330
602
82.4%
Redbridge
525
948
80.6%
Islington
570
1,026
80.0%
Tower Hamlets
559
1,003
79.4%
South Northamptonshire
320
571
78.4%
Barking & Dagenham
255
449
76.1%
Enfield
549
958
74.5%
The following table shows the ten local authorities – excluding London boroughs – that have seen the fastest growth in ULEV registrations, 2019 vs 2018.
Local Authority
Number of ULEVs registered (Q3-2018)
Number of ULEVs registered (Q3-2019)
% Increase in ULEVs
Exeter
464
1,194
157.3%
Warwick
414
943
127.8%
South Northamptonshire
320
571
78.4%
Weymouth
58
96
65.5%
Broxbourne
133
220
65.4%
Bury
262
420
60.3%
Mendip
227
357
57.3%
Mid Sussex
424
665
56.8%
Stevenage
95
148
55.8%
Solihull
1,481
2,296
55.0%
The following table shows the ten local authorities that have seen the slowest growth in ULEV registrations, 2019 vs 2018.
Local Authority
Number of ULEVs registered (Q3-2018)
Number of ULEVs registered (Q3-2019)
% Increase in ULEVs
Sunderland
340
362
6.5%
Wychavon
444
474
6.8%
Milton Keynes
6,445
6,896
7.0%
Copeland
78
84
7.7%
Barrow-in-Furness
52
56
7.7%
North Warwickshire
165
180
9.1%
Huntingdonshire
782
856
9.5%
Neath Port Talbot
90
99
10.0%
Stratford-on-Avon
371
414
11.6%
Stoke-on-Trent
317
357
12.6%
Regions
Renfrewshire is the most prolific region for ULEV registrations with green motor ownership rising by almost three quarters since 2018, up 71.1% between Q3 2018 and Q3 2019. This compares with growth of just 5.8% in the Gloucestershire region over the same period.
The following table shows the top regions (excluding London) for ULEV ownership, 2019 vs 2018.
Region
Number of ULEVs registered (Q3-2018)
Number of ULEVs registered (Q4-2019)
% Increase in ULEVs
Renfrewshire
1,857
3,178
71.1%
Devon
1,834
3,053
66.5%
Essex
2,554
3,743
46.6%
South Yorkshire
2,623
3,828
45.9%
Warwickshire
1,700
2,476
45.6%
Alex Buttle, director and spokesperson at Motorway comments:
“These figures show a huge disparity between areas that are embracing greener motoring and areas where take-up of ULEVs is in the slow lane. They highlight the need to focus not just at a national level, but also to confront issues at a regional level in areas where ULEV take-up is lagging behind. The government is now under tremendous pressure to encourage motorists to move to electric cars and other forms of ultra-low emissions vehicles in time for the 2040 switchover.
“According to recent SMMT figures, 10% of UK new car sales are now in the alternative fuel categories (including electric and hybrid variants combined), however, pure electric registrations still only make up around 2% of the total number of new car sales.
“While they are cheap to run and most owners are keen to drive less-polluting cars, too many people who rely on their vehicles for work and leisure, are holding off making the switch while there are question marks around the charging infrastructure and the initial outlay of moving to an EV.
“Now that we’re leaving the EU on 31st January, the government can finally turn its attention back to domestic matters, and hopefully that includes ensuring momentum is not lost on our “Road to Zero” emissions.
“With consumer confidence low and with the domestic auto industry suffering, is now the time for the government to introduce EV purchase subsidies to help consumers make the leap to electric? The ball is firmly in its court.”