With the world still in the midst of a pretty comprehensive global lockdown, the effort to ensure that life and industry goes on with some degree of normality is a fairly tough ask. Take UK car sales as a prime example; April saw new car registrations fall by 97% to its lowest figure since 1947, prompting furoughed brows and much hand-wringing. Despite the blanket downturn, due in the main, to the imposed health measure restrictions, April saw Tesla take the top spot for most new vehicles registered in the United Kingdom, for the first time in its short yet meteoric life on these shores. Not only is Tesla’s ascension to the top notable in its own right, it’s equally if not more staggering in that it signals industry leviathans Ford and Vauxhall being knocked off their respective lofty perches.
Reports detailed by the SMMT (Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders) have given light to business done by Tesla in April and how in demand they were. The article shows that 658 new Tesla Model 3s were sold within the month, making up for almost 15% of all cars sold within the month. The report showed that over 160,000 vehicles were bought in April 2019 compared to only 4321 this year; it’s also worth noting that despite the slump, Jaguar too saw a surge in demand seeing over 360 I-Paces sold in the UK. This increase for Jaguar saw them break into the top 10 and take up a respectable second place behind our friends from Silicon Valley. Following on from the report presented by the SMMT, both Tesla and their electric rivals Jaguar should be thankful of the ‘new’ government Vehicle Duty policies that mean EVs are now exempt from ‘traditional’ taxation when registered in a company name.
As you’re no doubt aware, the Model 3 hasn’t only been a success in the UK, however. It has picked up many accolades worldwide since its launch, including the bestselling EV in Europe, What Car’s UK Car of The Year for 2020 and numerous ‘best in class’ safety awards. It can’t be denied that a contributing factor to the Tesla success story – and one that puts further clear water between them and their peers – is the service provided in the form of online configuration and sales. This ground-breaking string to their customer-centric bow allows its clients to personalise and configure their own vehicle throughout the purchasing process and allows them to do so with minimal personal interaction, another bonus when ensuring sales are completed and vehicles delivered during lockdown.
So, as we’ve mentioned in more than a few of our previous blogs, Tesla and in particular the Model 3 (in terms of sales and industry & consumer standing), continue to blaze the brightest of trails in the EV space. The gauntlet continues to be thrown down to other manufacturers, even in the face of global adversity…… For a discussion about insuring your Tesla, please get in touch with us to find out how our market-leading cover could be right for you.
