UK van market bounces back after two-month slump

August saw LCV sales recover to 2021 levels.

By: Angel Sergeev

Sep 9, 2024 at 4:01am ET

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After a couple of months in reverse gear, the UK’s light commercial vehicle (LCV) market finally found its way back to the fast lane this August. Sales revved up by 1.7 per cent, hitting a high not seen since 2021, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). With a total of 16,575 shiny new vans, pickups, and 4x4s rolling onto British roads, the month marked a welcome recovery for the market, traditionally a bit of a snoozer before the September plate change.

The biggest winners in August were small vans. Those compact, zippy little workhorses weighing up to 2.0 tonnes saw sales skyrocket by a whopping 24.5 per cent. That’s 427 more buzzing around to make your next Amazon delivery.

UK’s best-selling LCV models in August 2024:

Medium-sized vans, meanwhile, showed steady progress. Sales of vehicles in the 2.0 to 2.5-tonne range nudged up 1.9 per cent, while the heavyweight champs – vans over 2.5 tonnes – also bulked up, seeing a 1.8 per cent rise to 11,753 units. These big guys still dominate the market, carrying a hefty 70.9 per cent share.

However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing. Pickups and 4x4s apparently missed the memo about growth. Pickup registrations dipped by 2.5 per cent, while 4x4s took a bigger hit, dropping 12.9 per cent. Maybe it’s time for those off-roaders to explore some new trails?

Here’s where the story takes a twist. While overall van sales enjoyed a decent boost, the battery electric vans (BEVs) were in serious need of a jump start. BEV registrations in the LCV segment took a nosedive, down a shocking 30.3 per cent compared to last year. With only 908 units sold in August, that’s a far cry from the industry’s ambitious green targets.

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UK’s best-selling LCV models year-to-date:

Ford Transit Custom - 27,947
Ford Transit - 18,999
Ford Ranger - 12,432
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter - 12,004
Vauxhall Vivaro - 11,168
Volkswagen Transporter - 10,282
Renault Trafic - 8,938
Citroen Berlingo - 7,939
Ford Transit Connect - 7,256
Vauxhall Combo - 7,113

For the third month in a row, electric vans found themselves losing ground, now making up just 5.5 per cent of new van sales (down from 7.9 per cent last year). The year-to-date figures aren’t looking much better either, with BEV sales down 9.5 per cent. Despite manufacturers rolling out new models, it seems the electric revolution in the LCV world is taking a little longer to charge up than anticipated.

Despite the electric van hiccup, the broader LCV market is showing resilience. So far this year, sales are up 2.7 per cent, with 218,884 vehicles sold across all segments. As September’s plate change approaches, all eyes will be on the numbers to see if this positive trend continues – or if electric vans can finally catch up.