In March, the UK's light commercial vehicle (LCV) market experienced a decline, with registrations down by 3.2% compared to the same month last year. This marks the fourth consecutive monthly decrease, a trend influenced by ongoing economic uncertainty which has tempered business investment in new vehicles.
The only good news was an increase in the sale of electric commercial vehicles. Market conditions means that the Government has felt it necessary to offer further encouragement to local EV production – especially in the face of the on-going tariff wars.
Overall, the UK is taking a leadership position in EVs. The UK was the largest EV market in Europe in 2024 and the third in the world with over 382,000 EVs sold – up a fifth on the previous year. There are now more than 75,000 public chargepoints in the UK – with a new one added every 29 minutes – ensuring that motorists are always a short drive from a socket. But that has not been reflected in the commercial vehicle market.
The decline in overall commercial vehicles sales was most pronounced in the largest van segment, which saw a 10% drop in registrations, totalling 32,025 units and representing 62.5% of the total market. Medium-sized vans and 4x4s also experienced declines of 8.5% and 18.9%, respectively. However, there was a notable increase in the registration of small vans, which grew by almost 61% to 1,585 units, now making up 3.1% of the market.
Amidst these broader market challenges, electric vehicles (EVs) in the LCV category are seeing significant growth. In March, battery electric vans up to 4.25 tonnes recorded a 40.3% increase in registrations, reaching a new monthly high of 4,215 units. This growth in electric uptake, now accounting for 8.3% of the market share in the first quarter of the year, is supported by the Plug-in Van Grant which remains a critical incentive for operators. Despite these positive developments, electric LCVs still only represent half of the 16% market share targeted for 2025, underscoring the need for further measures to boost the adoption of greener vehicles. More of this article (WhichEV) - link - more like this (electric vans) - link - more like this (ev general) - link
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