New Light Commercial Vehicle registrations fell for the third consecutive month, with a 19.3% reduction compared to the previous February. According to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), this decline in registrations marks the month’s lowest results since 2020.
February is traditionally a low volume month, as many operators postpone new vehicle acquisition until March for the new number plate.
Registrations fell across most sectors, with the biggest drop by quantity being large vans between 2.5t and 3.5t. Registrations fell from 17,834 units in February 2024, to 14,476 registrations in February 2025, a drop of 19.3%.
Medium vans, between 2.0t and 2.5t, fell from 3,162 units to 2,119 units, a reduction of 33%, while 4×4 registrations were down 45.7%, to 164 from 302 the previous February.
The small van category was the only group that increased registrations, rising 55.3% from 275 last February to 427 this year.
Electric van (EV) uptake grew for the fifth month in a row, marking the main positive of this month’s reporting. EV registrations grew 55.1% to 1,413 units, bringing the market share up to 9.7%. While this is still below the government target of 16% market share, this month’s improvements are very encouraging.
New zero-emission van models are being released yearly, and with the continuation of the Plug-in Van Grant, confidence in EVs appears to be growing.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: Against an increasingly difficult economic backdrop, van manufacturers have shown resilience, but the decline was perhaps inevitable after two years of strong performance. Even in a contracting market, however, zero emission uptake is positive but still struggles to match the ambition of regulation.
While the ongoing Plug-in Van Grant provides a lifeline, we still need support to bolster operator confidence, boost demand and deliver decarbonisation. Industry has committed billions to this vital transition and the mandate review must deliver workable measures that enable that commitment to deliver our shared ambition.
