11:36 am, October 5, 2022
Britain’s LCV market grew by 10.8 per cent last month with 34,950 vans sold, figures published today by the SMMT reveal.
And despite strong order books throughout the year, September was the first month that registrations grew in 2022, as supply disruptions restricted model availability.
But the SMMT said the performance was artificially inflated compared with 2021, which at 31,535 saw the fewest registrations for the month since the 2009 recession, and this September was still some 35.5 per cent below the five-year pre-pandemic average of 54,207.
The top-selling LCV was the Ford Transit Custom at 4,783, followed by the Ford Transit with 3,630 and Ford Ranger, pictured, at 2,660.
The year-on-year uptick was driven by the fulfilment of orders for vans weighing more than 2.5 tonnes – up 13.9 per cent to represent 73.8 per cent of the market – while registrations of vans weighing more than 2.0 tonnes to 2.5 tonnes rose by 40.8 per cent.
However, vans weighing less than or equal to 2.0 tonnes were down by 21.5 per cent.
Battery-electric vehicle (BEV) deliveries, meanwhile, continued their upward trend, rising by 70.0 per cent to a market share of 4.4 per cent – up from 2.9 per cent in 2021.
With more zero-emission van models coming to market, more operators are benefiting from lower taxation, purchase incentives and zone charge exemptions, said the trade body.
As a result, BEV volumes went up by 52.9 per cent year on year from January to September.
Overall, though, van registrations to date this year are down 20.1 per cent year on year at 213,576 units, and some 24.8 per cent below the pre-pandemic five-year average of 283,883 units, despite strong order books for the latest LCV models.
SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: ‘While the full recovery of Britain’s new van market remains some way off, September’s growth reflects van makers’ efforts to fulfil strong order books despite a paucity of supply.
‘High energy costs and wider economic uncertainty, however, will undermine operator confidence, meaning that long-term measures to provide stability and growth are needed if the sector – so often a bellwether for business activity – is to return to its past success.’
Source: SMMT
