The UK’s new light commercial vehicle (LCV) market rose by 3% to surpass 350,000 registrations in 2024, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
A robust December with 27,221 new LCVs registered rounded off a total of 351,834 new vans, pick-ups and 4x4s across the year – making 2024 the best year of fleet renewal since 2021.
However, while new BEV registration volumes rose by 3.3% to 22,155 units, the share of the overall market was 6.3% – the same as in 2023. The SMMT says such incremental growth in uptake in the first year of the UK’s Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate reflects the immense challenge ahead to accelerate the decarbonisation of LCVs.
Vast manufacturer investment means UK operators had 33 different zero emission van models to choose from last year, which was more than half (52.4%) of all new models available. The breadth of choice is in stark contrast, however, with the paucity of van-dedicated public chargepoints, which the SMMT says is undermining fleet confidence in the commercial viability of going electric.
“With uptake remaining significantly short of the 10% target for 2024 set by government’s Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate, even if, as industry expects, demand rises by more than 85% in 2025, the UK’s BEV share would reach just 10.6% – a significant distance off the 16% required this year,” it reports.
The SMMT is calling on the government to fast-track the review and ensure the regulation reflects market realities, barriers and the support necessary to drive such growth. “Indeed, ambitious regulation must come with equally ambitious incentives and infrastructure rollout – else investment, model choice, growth and decarbonisation will be compromised,” the organisation says.
