Sales of new vans climbed to their highest level for a February in a quarter of a century

Sales of new vans climbed to their highest level for a February in a quarter of a century.

The UK new light commercial vehicle (LCV) market grew for the second consecutive month in February, rising by 8.5% to 17,540 units, according to the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

February is traditionally a volatile month due to small volumes as many operators delay procurements until March and the new number plate, the increase marks the best February performance since 1998, the year before the bi-annual plate change was introduced.

Deliveries of battery electric vans declined to 966 units, down 44.5% compared with a particularly strong February in 2022, with traditionally smaller volumes in the month accentuating natural fluctuations in fleet investment.

With more new models set to hit the market in the coming months, growth is expected to resume, with the latest market outlook anticipating electrified van registrations to rise by 64.5% to some 28,000 units this year.

Diesel-powered vans continue to dominate the market with 16,274 diesel units sold compared with 14,224 in the same month in 2022, and market share increasing from 88% to 92.8%.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes 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.”