UK car sales fall again but demand for electric vehicles surges

LONDON: British car sales dropped by an annual 1.6% in the low-sales month of August as demand for diesel models continued to fall but there was a 377.5% increase in registrations of battery electric vehicles, according to an industry body.

Demand last month stood at 92,573 cars in Europe's second-biggest autos market, according to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

"August is typically the new car market's quietest month so the huge increase in EV (electric vehicle) registrations is very visible but especially welcome," SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes said.

(Reporting by Costas Pitas Editing by William Schomberg)