Jan 5 Reuters British new car market witnessed its best year since the COVID19 pandemic as easing supply chain issues helped fulfil pentup demand for fleet vehicles, an industry body said on Friday.

Data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders SMMT showed that 1.9 million vehicles were sold in 2023, an increase of 17.9 from a year ago. Yearonyear December new car sales grew 9.6.

The new car market recovery was fuelled by fleet owners increasing investments as the previous year39;s supply constraints faded and deliveries rebounded by 38.7 year over year.

Last year also saw more battery electric vehicle BEV sales than the previous two years combined, with almost 315,000 new cars registered.

But the industry body warned that the next few months are also likely to be volatile due to regulatory uncertainties related to UKEU Rules of Origin.

Last month, the European Union and Britain agreed to give electric vehicle EV makers until the end of 2026 to comply with local content rules, delaying the imposition of tariffs on EVs traded with the UK.

Government has challenged the UK automotive sector with the world39;s boldest transition timeline and is investing to ensure we are a major maker of electric vehicles, SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes said.

However, the overall British new car market still lagged 17.7 below prepandemic levels, according to the industry data, which also showed that private consumer demand was on par with 2022 numbers as customers faced…