Britain’s new light commercial vehicle (LCV) market grew for the ninth month in a row in September, up 28% with 44,760 vans, pickups and 4x4s joining UK roads. That is according to the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Operators continue to opt for payload and fuel efficiencies, with the largest vans – weighing greater than 2.5 tonnes to 3.5 tonnes – remaining the biggest market for new buyers in September, rising 13% to 29,150 units. Medium-sized vans also saw significant growth, up 89% to 7,085 units, while demand for pickups and 4x4s increased by 64% and 142% respectively. Deliveries of the smallest vans, meanwhile, fell -13% to 880 units.
Demand for battery electric vans (BEVs) in September was up 86% to 2,882 units – accounting for one in 16 new vans registered in the month. As a result, a UK-record 14,296 electric vans have been registered since January, commanding 5.5% of the overall market.
Meanwhile, the UK new car market grew 21% in September with 272,610 registrations in the month. The fourteenth consecutive month of growth was also the second busiest of the year after March, with the new number plate delivering its traditional market surge despite the economic backdrop.
Growth continued to be driven by large fleets, which rose 41% to 143,256 units to reach a market share of 53%. Private consumer demand, meanwhile, also grew, up 6% to 122,944 units. As a result, the industry enjoyed its best September since 2020, although registrations remain 21% below pre-pandemic levels.
Electrified vehicle uptake continued to grow in the month, with plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) up 51% to take a 7% market share and hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) up 31% to account for 14% of all registrations. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs), meanwhile, recorded their 41st consecutive month of growth – with 45,323 drivers making the switch, a 19% uplift. Given this growth was less than the overall recorded by the market, however, BEV market share slipped back slightly to 16.6% from 16.9% a year ago.
BEV volume increases were driven entirely by fleet purchases, which rose by 51%. Conversely, private BEV registrations fell -14% with less than one in 10 private new car buyers opting for electric during the month.
