How electric vehicles are growing share of the
AUTOMOTIVE MARKET
The switch from petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles to electric is an ongoing project, one which passed a significant milestone in 2022…
How electric vehicles are growing share of the
AUTOMOTIVE MARKET
The switch from petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles to electric is an ongoing project, one which passed a significant milestone in 2022…
2022 was not a vintage year for the automotive sector which, like many others, had to combat price inflation, supply chain issues – hello semiconductors – and other headwinds.
But there were some positive signs, with the latest statistics from the SMMT revealing that the UK new car market was actually in growth – for the fifth month in a row – up 18.3% in December 2022 to 128,462 new registrations.
Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) passed a milestone in the same month, overtaking sales of diesel-powered cars for the first time in the UK, second in popularity only to petrol.
BEVs took a whopping 33% share of the monthly market – and 16.6% over the entirety of 2022. Plug-in hybrids saw annual share decline to 6.3%, but when combined with BEVs, all plug-in vehicles accounted for 23% of new registrations in 2022, a record high.
Looking more widely, BEVs accounted for 10% of total registrations in Europe (July 2022, source: JATO). ACEA statistics showed that electrically chargeable cars had an 18% market share in the EU (in 2021), with electric vans a mere 3%, trucks at a paltry 0.5% and buses better at 10.6% market share.
Looking at individual markets, the UK (at the end of Q3 2022) was 13th overall by plug-in market share, trailing the likes of Norway (78.3%), the Netherlands (28.7%) and Germany (23.5%).
BEVs took a whopping 33% share of the monthly market (UK)
All plug-in vehicles accounted for 23% of new registrations in 2022, a record high (UK)
BEVs accounted for 10% of total registrations in Europe (July 2022, source: JATO)
EV growth sources
Fleet and business buyers were responsible for 67% of all BEV registrations in the UK in December 2022, leading the SMMT to underline the continued need to “enthuse more private buyers to go electric”. Noting charge point provision as a barrier to uptake, the SMMT also pointed to the UK government’s decision to introduce VED taxation on EVs from 2025 as a move that “risks discouraging wider adoption”.
Fleet and business buyers were responsible for 67% of all BEV registrations in the UK in December 2022
In the UK, as in many markets, the overall picture for automotive was of a tough year, despite underlying demand. Overall registrations for 2022 fell -2% to 1.61 million – down 700,000 units on pre-Covid levels. Britain reclaimed its position as Europe’s second largest new car market in 2022 by volume.
"The SMMT added that it foresees stabilisation of supply chains in 2023 as well as an easing of the shortage of semiconductors."
The SMMT added that it foresees stabilisation of supply chains in 2023 as well as an easing of the shortage of semiconductors. However erratic supply will likely impact manufacturing throughout 2023. The most recent market outlook, published in October 2022, anticipates around 1.8 million new car registrations in 2023, worth around £8.4 billion in additional turnover, it added.
Fastening for electric vehicles
The advent of electric vehicles has led to new challenges for car manufacturers and suppliers alike, not least an increased priority for lightweighting.
"EJOWELD friction welding, developed by EJOT, joins dissimilar materials and semi-finished parts."
EJOWELD friction welding, developed by EJOT, joins dissimilar materials and semi-finished parts. It makes possible joining multi-material designs, including lightweight materials such as aluminium and advanced high strength steel using a friction element setting tool, suitable for robots and autonomous processes. The thermomechanical process generates energy through rotatory friction between an element and the base plate. This results in a combination of both plastic forming and welding during the joining process. The cover plate is simply penetrated and fixed between the element head and base plate. The connection results from a combination of form-fit, force closure and adhesive bond.