BMW doubled its September electric vehicle (EV) sales as zero emissions vehicles secured a market share of 17% in last month’s new car registrations.

Data published in NewAutoMotive’s Electric Car Count (ECC) showed that the German premium brand had ramped-up its EV volumes from 1,003 to 2,212 year-on-year as a surge of deliveries from Tesla meant that it accounted for almost one-in-three registrations last month.

Coming ahead of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders’ (SMMT) monthly new car registrations report, New AutoMotive’s data suggested that the whole market saw volumes dip by a fifth (20%), meanwhile.

Tesla’s performance saw it secure the whole market’s joint second largest market share by brand, behind Volkswagen (7%) and Ford (7%) but level with Nissan and Toyota on 5%.

Commenting on the strong showing for EVs in September’s registrations, Ben Nelmes, New AutoMotive’s co-founder and head of policy, said: “So far, 2022 has seen weaker new car sales figures than 2020, when the COVID-19 pandemic was at its peak.

“Any drop in sales of EVs makes it harder for the UK to meet its carbon budgets and slows efforts to reduce our reliance on expensive, imported fuels. It is welcome to see that EV sales are holding up so well given the current headwinds in the market.”

“Electric cars charged at home on a standard variable tariff are over 40% cheaper to run per mile compared to petrol and diesel alternatives.

“As the cost-of-living crisis continues to hit new car sales, more and more consumers may choose to go electric because of the savings EVs offer, insulating drivers from the worst of the market downturn.”

Yesterday AM reported on JudgeService survey data which suggested car retailers needed more staff with knowledge of the advantages presented by EV ownership.

Despite the cost of fuel savings, the initial cost of an EV continues to prevent barriers to purchase for many new car buyers.

In an AM News Show Podcast appearance earlier this year Auto Trader’s Marc Palmer reiterated the automotive marketing platform’s assertion that the removal of the plug-in car grant (PiCG) meant that EVs remained the preserve of the rich in many cases.

Palmer said that EV adoption was geographically determined by affluence, not regions with the best infrastructure.

New AutoMotive’s Electric Car Count (ECC) showed that Oxfordshire was the county with the greatest EV market share in October.

There, 31% of registrations were zero-emission vehicles last month, followed by: Anglia, 22%; North East England, 22%; London, 20%; and Birmingham, 20%.