Mike Hawes

Since 2013, Mile has been one of the leading influential voices of the UK motor industry. His leadership of the SMMT continued during another challenging year in 2021. When vehicle retailers re-opened their doors in April 2021, the SMMT analysis reported that drivers enjoyed the widest ever choice of zero-emission cars, and this proved correct. Plug-in vehicles accounted for a record more than one in six registrations during 2021, with BEVs enjoying a rise to one-in-nine. The UK was Europe’s second largest BEV market, and with 190,727 registered, they were more popular than totals in 2016-2020 combined. BEVs now account for 11.6 per cent of the UK new car market and BEV van demand has more than doubled, with 12,759 e-LCVs registered in 2021, showing UK business are ready to go green.