Car manufacturers have called for urgent action to reignite the switch to electric vehicles, after sales figures showed slowing demand among ordinary motorists for battery-powered cars. While overall UK registrations grew by 1% in April year-on-year to 134,000, the increase was entirely driven by fleet sales, with private buyer sales down by almost 18% on last year. Manufacturers are alarmed by stalling sales growth in battery electric vehicles, which in the first four months of 2024 have only increased market share by 0.3% from the same period in 2023, to 15.7%, despite the rapid uptake in previous years. While the industry expects the figure to climb this year, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said that BEV sales would be below government targets of 22% of all new cars, and called for steps to “re-enthuse” buyers, including tax cuts, incentives and more chargers. Related: UK installs record number of public electric vehicle chargers The SMMT said incentives had driven take-up of battery electric vehicles in the fleet market, and similar moves for private buyers would accelerate the transition. It urged a halving of VAT on new battery-powered cars, and changing the threshold for taxing luxury cars. The additional...