Manufactures struggle to meet demand, ahead of plug-in grant deadline

It has been reported that a number of manufacturers have been forced to cancel orders after reaching their UK allocation of 2,500 units for 2016.

The news comes as many customers claimed the BMW’s new plug-in hybrid (PHEV) version of the 3 Series, the 330e, has already exceeded its allocation, complaining that their orders had been cancelled.

The demand for all plug-in hybrids in the UK has accelerated as a result of changes to the plug-in car grant, taking action in March. The changes were announced in Chancellor George Osborne’s Spending Review, and involved cutting the maximum grant to £4,500, with some vehicles only being eligible for a £2,500 grant.

The new regulations will mean PHEVs with prices above £60,000 will no longer qualify for extra financial support.

Nonetheless, Mitsubishi has assured it will meet demand for its Outlander PHEV, despite achieving over 10,000 registrations in the first 12 months of sales.

Toby Marshall, Mistubishi’s sales and marketing director, said: “We are having many more enquires than usual, as buyers are looking to order their Outlander PHEV before the grant reduces. Dealers are reporting a huge increase in interest and website traffic is higher than ever. That said we do have the vehicles in stock to satisfy demand.”

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