The number of newly registered vehicles increased to 3,819 last month from 2,948 in October 2022, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Additionally, with 39,952 new cars registered, the local market is 18.5% ahead of where it was a year ago, compared to 33,726 in the same period in 2022.

As of now, the Hyundai Tucson, Kia Sportage, Peugeot 2008, Ford Fiesta, and Form Puma are the top five selling cars in the north.

The SMMT revised higher its projection for the number of new cars that will be registered in 2023 and 2024 to 1,886,000 and 1,970,000, respectively, after 153,529 new cars were registered nationwide last month.

Prior to this July prognosis, it was estimated that registrations would be around 1,847,000 this year and 1,951,000 the next year.

However, the anticipated number of new pure battery electric vehicle registrations this year has been reduced from 440,000 to 439,000.

Pure battery electric new car market share increased to 15.6% last month from 14.8% the previous year.

“With demand for new cars surpassing pre-pandemic levels in the month, the market is defying expectations and driving growth," stated Mike Hawes, chief executive of SMMT.

“Encouraging all customers to invest in the newest zero emission cars is essential to the continuing success of fleet adoption, especially for EVs (electric vehicles).

“The government has a significant chance to promote incentives and ease infrastructure investment through the fall statement.

“Doing so would send a clear signal of support for drivers, reassuring them that now is the time to switch to electric.”

The Government's zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) mandate states that any manufacturer selling new cars in the UK for the upcoming year must sell at least 22% zero-emission vehicles, which is fully electric.

By 2035, the barrier will have increased annually to 100%.

If the regulation is broken or if you take advantage of exceptions, such rolling over previous year's allowances, you will have to reimburse the government £15,000 for each polluting car sold over the cap.

The commercial director of online car marketplace Auto Trader, Ian Plummer, stated: "Manufacturers will be use every option at their disposal to boost new electric sales as ever-increasing zero-emission vehicle mandate requirements approach.

More than two thirds of new electric cars are currently eligible for some sort of promotion, according to our data.

Discounts and available financing make new electric car payments increasingly comparable to those of petrol and diesel.

“With this and the potential £153 fuel savings per 1,000 miles for electric vehicles, now is a great time to think about switching to an electric vehicle.”

“If calls for delays to the rules of origin requirements are heeded, we can hope to see some significant growth in private new electric car sales over the coming months.”

In accordance with post-Brexit agreements, rules of origin regulations for commerce between the UK and the EU are scheduled to be implemented on January 1st, however, there are requests to delay them.

Exports of electric vehicles are expected to face 10% tariffs if at least 45% of their value is not from the UK or the EU.

Manufacturers will find it difficult to reach that barrier since European battery output has not expanded as swiftly as anticipated.

Prior estimates from the SMMT suggested that pure battery electric cars made in the EU and purchased in the UK may see an average price increase of £3,400 as a result of the levies.