Automotive News – Early August 2026

Huge EV boost in July yet mandate gap persists.

• July new car market rises 11.7% to 156,571 units in best performance since 2019.
• BEV registrations up 44.5% after subdued July 2025, with demand driven by model choice, heavy discounting and government incentives.
• Latest industry outlook expects 2.18m new car registrations in 2026 with BEVs claiming 27.4% – still significantly short of the 33% mandate target.

Britain’s new car market grew 11.7% in July with 156,571 units registered, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Although compared with a relatively weak July last year, the performance marks an eighth consecutive month of growth as the market continues its longer-term recovery towards pre-Covid levels.

Demand grew across all sectors, with private buyer uptake rising 12.6%, fleet deliveries up 9.5% – representing six in 10 (59.9%) registrations – and the lower-volume business segment up 61.3%.

Sourced from SMMT

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Aston Martin shares fell to a new 52-week low earlier this week after Citigroup cut its price target on the Gaydon-based carmaker from 55p to 40p, maintaining a “neutral” rating.

Deutsche Bank also lowered its target from 45p to 40p, while Jefferies reiterated a “hold” rating with a 41p target. Shares traded as low as 34.48p, giving the company a market capitalisation of around £355m, against a 52-week range of 34.84p to 86.80p.

The downgrades follow Aston Martin’s half-year results last week, which showed revenue up 38% to £628.6m and adjusted EBITDA turning positive at £62.7m, compared with a £3m loss a year earlier.

Sourced from TheBusinessDesk

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Electric vans at record level but targets remain distant.

• 28,578 new vans, pickups and 4x4s join UK roads in July, up 22.0% year on year.
• Pickup registrations fall for 10th consecutive month, down -53.2% as last year’s tax changes continue to constrain market.
• Battery electric uptake grows 74.1% to capture record 14.7% market share. 

UK new light commercial vehicle (LCV) registrations rose 22.0% in July to 28,578 units, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). July marked the market’s fourth consecutive month of growth, as year to date registrations reached 187,226 units, up 4.3% on the first seven months of 2025.

Large and medium-sized vans both recorded strong growth, up 29.9% to 20,842 units and 20.7% to 4,993 units respectively. Demand for 4x4s also rose, by 66.1% to 1,030 registrations, while the small van segment grew 11.8% to 825. Pickups declined for a 10th consecutive month, down -53.2% to 888 units and accounting for just 3.1% of the market. Demand continues to be affected by the reclassification of double cab pickups under Benefit in Kind and capital allowance rules. Given the vital role these vehicles play in supporting economic activity, and to encourage fleet renewal, SMMT continues to urge government to reverse the measure.

Sourced from SMMT

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Government invests over £47m in the UK’s automotive future.

Thirty-three pioneering automotive projects have been selected to receive more than £47m in government funding. This is as part of the UK government’s £4bn DRIVE35 programme, delivered by the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST) in partnership with the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) and Innovate UK.

DRIVE35 forms a core part of the UK government’s Advanced Manufacturing Sector Plan and Industrial Strategy, supporting the transition to zero-emission vehicle technologies. The programme supports businesses through targeted funding from early-stage innovation to commercialisation and manufacturing scale-up.

It aims to help businesses bring innovative technologies to market, creating skilled jobs, attracting private investment, strengthening domestic supply chains and reinforcing the UK’s position as a global leader in automotive innovation.

Sourced from The Manufacturer

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Luxury car manufacturer, Jaguar Land Rover Automotive, said its first quarter results have been impacted by supply constraints and market disruption, including a fire at a major component supplier at the start of the quarter, the conflict in the Middle East and the planned wind down of outgoing Jaguar models ahead of the launch of Jaguar Type 01.

In the three months to June 30, 2026, revenue was £6bn, down 9.6% versus the same period in 2025.

Profit before tax and exceptional items was £109m in Q1, down from a profit of £351m a year ago.

Adjusted EBIT margin was 2.8% for the first quarter, down from four per cent a year ago.

In addition to the impact of reduced volumes, year on year profitability was impacted by market conditions pushing retail VME (variable marketing expenditure) up from 4.1% to 7.1%.

Sourced from TheBusinessDesk