The UK’s Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) registrations increased in September, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). This marked the second month of growth since the market experienced a slight setback earlier in the year.
A total of 48,455 units were registered in September 2024, an 8.3% increase from the previous September of 44,760. Year-to-date, this represents an increase of 3.6% from 257,979 to 267,339 units.
Broken down into vehicle categories, we can see that the most popular van size continues to be the large van category, between 2.5t and 3.5t. Large vans cover 31,645 of the total, with the next largest category being medium vans with 9,552 units. Small van registrations totalled 1,180, a 34% increase over the previous September.
The main concern this month is the continuing lack of uptake in battery electric vans (BEV). Electric van registrations have fallen again, with only 2,342 units registered in September 2024. Compared to 2,882 the previous year, this is an 18.7% decrease. Year-to-date, this brings the total BEV units registered to 12,944 for 2024, down 9.5% from the equivalent time in 2023 (14,296 units).
Due to this, market share has fallen from 5.5% in 2023 to only 4.8% in 2024. This all points to a lack of confidence from fleet operators that electrifying their commercial fleets is commercially viable.
The SMMT, alongside major vehicle manufacturers, continues to lobby the government to introduce further measures that will encourage EV uptake. Recommended measures include extending the plug-in van grant, equalising VAT on public charging, and mandating infrastructure targets to ensure there are sufficient public charging facilities suitable for commercial vehicles.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “Growing overall demand for new vans is encouraging as the sector, a barometer of the UK economy’s health, continues to recover post Covid. But while manufacturers have invested huge sums delivering zero emission technology and incentivising its sale, consistently low demand is constraining industry from meeting Britain’s ambitious zero emission vehicles sales mandates. For van fleets to go green at pace they need the immediate encouragement – and long-term certainty – of fiscal incentives and van-specific charging infrastructure. Without these, UK decarbonisation ambitions cannot be achieved at the world-leading speed demanded by regulation.”
