According to the report from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the UK new car market fell -39.5% in January with 59,030 fewer registrations compared to the same month last year. Just 90,249 cars were registered as showrooms across the country remained shut, leading to the worst start to the year since 1970.

Demand remained depressed for both private buyers (-38.5%) and large fleets (-39.7%). Declines were also recorded in both petrol and diesel cars registrations, which fell by -62.1% and -50.6% respectively. On a positive, however, battery electric vehicle (BEV) uptake grew by 2,206 units (54.4%) to take 6.9% of the market, as the number of available models almost doubled from 22 in January 2019 to 40 this year. Combined, BEVs and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) accounted for 13.7% of registrations.

"Following a GBP 20.4 billion loss of revenue last year, the auto industry faces a difficult start to 2021," Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said. "Lifting the shutters will secure jobs, stimulate the essential demand that supports our manufacturing, and will enable us to forge ahead on the Road to Zero."