LCV sales fall for the first time in 17 months

The UK new light commercial vehicle (LCV) market fell for the first time in June after 17 successive months of growth.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders reported that LCV sales fell 4.5% to 33,066 units in June, but the market remained robust in the first half of the year – up by 4.5% with 177,620 vehicles registered so far this year, making 2024, the best performance since 2021.

Demand varied across segments, with registrations of vans weighing more than 2.0 to 2.5 tonnes up by 14% to 7,169 units and those weighing less than or equal to 2.0 tonnes up 58.7% to 806. Vehicles weighing above 2.5 tonnes up to 3.5 tonnes, however, which account for two thirds of the market, fell 8.3% to 21,677 units.

BEVs

Meanwhile, deliveries of battery electric vans (BEVs) fell for a third month this year, down 16.8% to 1,476 units with BEVs accounting for just 4.7% of all new light van registrations this year compared with 5.2% for the same period last year.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said:

“The best first half of a year since 2021 is great news for a market so intrinsic to economic growth, but this optimism will only continue if action is taken to re-energise zero emission van demand. A new government provides an opportunity to bolster the market with a strategy to grow the UK’s van-specific charging network at pace and maintain essential fiscal incentives to keep this vital market on track, without which our net zero ambitions will be at risk.”