May 2021

E lectric and hybrid vehicles continued to increase market share in recent months. New car sales figures for March from the SMMT showed that battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) represented a joint market share of 13.9%, up from 7.3% in March 2020. Registrations of BEVs increased by 88.2% to 22,003 units, while PHEVs rose by 152.2% to 17,330. Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) also rose by 42%, reaching 21,599. Looking at the wider picture, according to GiPA, 33% of all new registrations were alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs) right across Western Europe in recent months. GiPA UK General Manager Quentin Le Hetet observed: “While the new car sales market was down by 23% for the first two months of 2021, the sales of AFVs has been soaring in Western Europe. Their cumulated sales share for January and February represented 28% of all cars sold in France and 37% in Germany. In terms of growth rate compared to 2020, we are looking to a range between 79% in the UK and 247% in Germany. With such figures, it is paramount for all aftermarket players to have a clear plan to address these vehicles in a near future.” Rapid growth First Line Global Marketing Director Jon Roughley said: “EV registrations have been growing every year since 2013, which means that it’s now not uncommon for an EV to be entering the workshop, so technicians need to be prepared for these complex vehicles. It’s an area that the industry needs to continue educating themselves on and embrace, and while it’s a newer skillset for independent workshops, it’s certainly something that they can make their mark in and grow as a profitable arm of their business. “First Line has over 40 pure EVs listed in its WebCat, including Audi e-tron, Hyundai IONIQ, Jaguar I-PACE, Peugeot iOn, Renault Zoe and Tesla Models S and X, supplying more than 560 references across 45 different product lines for these vehicles. Product groups covered include braking, wheel bearings, cabin filters, steering and suspension, plus many more. We know that this is an area that more independent workshops and factors are investing in, and we want to continue to grow our product ranges to accommodate that.” Perceptions Meanwhile, a recent webinar titled hosted Glen Callum 52 AFTERMARKET MAY 2021 EV AND HYBRID VEHICLES www.aftermarketonline.net EV AND HYBRID VEHICLES Recent news and events have highlighted the need for aftermarket businesses to invest in EV and hybrid training