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U.K. Report Blames Sales Slump on Diesel Uncertainties
A British poll says new-car sales are down 6% this year in the U.K., mainly because would-be buyers are hesitating over a lack of clear government policy on diesels.
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New-car sales are down 6% this year in the U.K., mainly because would-be buyers are hesitating over a lack of clear government policy on diesels, according to British marketing agency HPS Group Ltd.
HPS’s poll of 1,000 new-car shoppers finds 90% planning to delay rather than cancel their buying plans. Three in five blame unclear government policy, with nearly half worried that diesels could be banned, Autocar reports.
Two in five respondents fret over the resale value of a diesel. The same ratio worry about Brexit and its impact on the British economy.
The survey finds only about one-third of new-car shoppers in the U.K. are familiar with hybrids, plug-ins and electric cars. But many aren’t clear about the differences among those powertrains, and fewer than one in four would consider buying any electrified vehicle.
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