LCV sales report strong 2021 growth
UK new light commercial vehicle (LCV) registrations grew by more than a fifth (21.4%) in 2021, according to the latest figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
It found that 355,380 new light commercial vehicles were registered in the year, ending with the best December for the sector since 2015 with a 7.8% increase.
The robustness of the LCV market was due in part to strong underlying demand from key sectors – notably construction and home deliveries – with significant fleet investments resulting in 62,723 more units being registered in the last year than in 2020.
This performance is only marginally weaker than the strong 2019 market (2.8%) and the five-year pre-Covid average (three per cent).
There was more good news for the sector as BEV uptake soared by 142.3%, although this equates to a relatively modest 12,759 zero emission vans and a total market share of 3.6%.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “After a difficult 2020, the commercial vehicle sector has bounced back, with registrations recovering to just shy of pre-Covid levels. While demand has remained robust, there is still the potential for market volatility with the Omicron variant and component shortages threatening supply chains. Manufacturers are working hard to ensure deliveries, and, with a record number of battery electric vans registered this past year, customers can be assured that more of these new technology vehicles will be available to keep society and businesses moving in an increasingly zero-emission manner.”
