2:23 pm, January 5, 2024
Ford’s Transit Custom topped the sales charts for December and 2023 as a whole, it was revealed today.
The Transit’s larger sibling, pictured, racked up 3,298 sales during the month and 40,865 in total for the year, said the SMMT in figures for the LCV sector published by the industry body.
During 2023, UK demand for LCVs grew by 21.0% from 282,139 in 2022 to reach 341,455 units, as more businesses invested in fleet renewal every month versus 2022 – and a record number of zero-emission vans joined Britain’s roads.
December, meanwhile, saw 29,701 LCVs registered – up 36.1% on 2022’s figure of 21,825.
As a result of rising vehicle investment across the year, 2023 saw the highest demand for new vans since the sector’s post-pandemic 355,380 bounceback in 2021, with the market just 6.6% below 2019’s level of 365,778.
Uptake of new battery-electric vans (BEVs) hit record volumes in 2023 as volumes grew by 21.0% to 20,253 units – with some 28 models registered – representing 5.9% of the market.
The year ended on a high as BEV uptake jumped by 73.8% to 2,964 units in December, with the very greenest vehicles representing 10.0% of registrations in the month – the second highest monthly BEV share, behind February 2022’s 10.8%.
It means that since 2019, some 58,226 BEVs have joined the UK’s roads.
The ZEV mandate now means, however, that 10% of every van manufacturer’s sales in the UK must be BEVs this year, and the SMMT said immediate action to reduce existing barriers to their uptake was crucial.
It cited insufficient numbers of van-suitable public chargers as being the single biggest obstacle.
The trade body also called for a long-term commitment to the plug-in van grant to make the switch accessible and fair for operators everywhere.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: ‘Rising demand for new vans in every month of 2023 – along with record uptake of battery electric vans – is positive news for the UK, given the vital role of these vehicles in keeping businesses and the economy moving.
‘Demand for new vans is also essential for decarbonisation and, as the UK’s ambitious mandate for electric van sales comes into effect, every lever must be pulled to make the switch accessible for fleets in every region.
‘If 2024 is to be the year of the electric van, investment in chargepoint infrastructure is mission-critical – bringing with it the successful green transition and economic growth the nation needs.’
The top 10 best-selling vans of December
- Ford Transit Custom – 3,298
- Vauxhall Vivaro – 2,237
- Ford Transit – 2,227
- Ford Ranger – 1,704
- Renault Trafic – 1,483
- Volkswagen Transporter – 1,319
- Peugeot Boxer – 1,185
- Citroen Berlingo – 1,166
- Mercedes-Benz Sprinter – 1,084
- Toyota Hilux – 1,076
Source: SMMT
2023’s best-selling vans
- Ford Transit Custom – 40,865
- Ford Transit – 28,280
- Vauxhall Vivaro – 20,477
- Ford Ranger – 18,679
- Volkswagen Transporter – 17,487
- Renault Trafic – 16,041
- Mercedes-Benz Sprinter – 15,799
- Citroen Berlingo – 14,065
- Toyota Hilux – 10,888
- Ford Transit Connect – 10,856
Source: SMMT
