The UK’s van and light commercial vehicle (LCV) market had its best February for 25 years, with registrations rising by 8.5% over last year’s figure. With a strong January, the market is now up 17.5% as the industry recovers from the difficulties it's been facing since 2020.
February is often the quietest month of the year as customers hold off deliveries until March, when a new registration plate is introduced.
There were 15,832 vans delivered in the month, a rise of 5.6% over February 2021, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Deliveries of pickup trucks and commercial 4x4s — such as the Land Rover Defender Commercial — were up 45.5%, rising from 1,174 to 1,708.
Electric LCV registrations dropped to 966, down by 44.5% from 1,741 registrations. While the Vauxhall Vivaro Electric was the best-selling electric van for the month, with 264 models registered, several new models arriving on the market and a more reliable supply of components should see growth resume.
The Ford Transit Custom was the best-selling model overall, shifting 2,573 units, with its Ford Transit and Ford Transit Connect siblings in second and fifth place. The Ford Ranger was the best-selling pickup truck, giving Ford four vehicles in the top ten.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:
“Following a torrid 2022, the UK van market is returning to sustained growth that is exceeding even pre-pandemic levels. Given the importance of vans to keeping the British economy and society on the move, this growth is good news. With the ZEV market still at a very early stage, however, a concerted effort by all stakeholders to accelerate van-suitable chargepoint installation must become an urgent priority, enabling long-term net zero fleet investment at the scale necessary.”
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