BEVs up despite difficult new vehicle market
Battery electric light passenger vehicles (BEVs) showed a sharp increase from 262 units in April 2024 to 442 last month, while hybrid (HEV) and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) car sales were relatively steady at 2310 registrations in April 2025 compared with 2569 in April 2024.
By contrast, internal combustion engine (ICE) light passenger vehicle registrations totalled 3340, compared with 3280 in April last year.
So says the Motor Industry Association (MIA) which represents the country’s new vehicle manufacturers and suppliers.
MIA chief executive Aimee Wiley says April’s results continue an overall declining trend from the beginning of the year, although some categories are showing resilience.
New vehicle registrations continued their downward drift from 9223 in April last year to 8839 in April 2025.
“Registrations to the end of April totalled 41,380 vehicles – a 3.9% drop on the 43,079 registered over the same period in 2024. This is likely due to continuing tight economic conditions impacting on spending behaviour.”
MIA figures show the MG brand seventh and BYD 10th in new vehicle sales, while the Polestar 2 was the leading passenger BEV with 78 April 2025 sales compared to 11 in April 2024 and 240 YTD compared to 21 YTD 2024.
The BYD Dolphin was next with 36 April 2025 sales compared to two in April 2024 (and 111 YTD against 27 for the same time last year), the Tesla Model Y had 34 sales compared to 48 in April last year and 179 YTD compared to 292 for YTD 2024, and the BYD Atto 3 had 32 April 2025 sales.
The BYD Sealion 6 led PHEV sales with 36 last month, followed by the Mitsubishi Outlander’s 27 – down from 79 in April 2024.
Light commercials saw BEVs grow from six to 26 in April comparisons, while PHEVs reached 119 (from zero) and hybrids 421 (from 223).
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