Tesla top new BEV seller in May

May marks the fifth month of a steep decline in new light passenger registrations, a hard hit for the industry, says the Motor Industry Association (MIA).

Registrations included 444 battery electrics (4.4% share), 177 plug-in hybrids (1.7% share), 2150 mild hybrids (21.1% share) and 7415 internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles (72.8% share), it says. 

While light commercial sales remained steady and heavy vehicle sales saw an uptick, the light passenger segment continues to be hit hardest by the prevailing economic recession, says MIA.

It says light passenger vehicles, at 6369, are 33.4% lower than in May 2023 and 39.8% lower than in May 2022.

Year-to-date, light passenger vehicles are down 22% compared to the same period in 2023 and 27.1% lower than in the same period in 2022.  

The top five battery electric vehicles (BEVs) in May were the Tesla Model Y (44 units), Tesla Model 3 (32 units), Hyundai Ioniq 5 (24 units), Volvo EX30 (24 units) and BYD Atto 3 (21 units). 

Top plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) during May included the Mitsubishi Outlander (23 units), BYD Sealion (19 units), Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross (17 units), BMW X5 (10) and Porsche Cayenne (10 units).

Mild hybrids (HEVs) in May featured the Toyota RAV4 (760 units), Toyota Highlander (121 units), Suzuki Swift (93 units), Toyota Corolla (93 units) and Toyota Corolla Cross (83 units).

Light commercial BEVs recorded 58 units in May, 123 units year-to-date (YTD), while heavy commercial BEVs had 26 units in May, 116 units YTD.