HGV sales down six per cent in last quarter
New figures have revealed that HGV sales fell by six per cent in the third quarter of the year compared to the same period of 2023.
However, demand is still 26.7% above the same quarter in 2019, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT)
It found that between July and September, 10,839 new HGVs joined fleets across the country, with growth recorded in rigids, rising six per cent to reach 6,668 units to achieve a 61.5% market share. However, artic volumes continued to decline, down 20.4% to 4,171 units.
Meanwhile, the data also revealed that although the UK remains Europe’s second largest zero-emission truck market by volume, uptake was down 47.5% to achieve a market share of 0.5%, down from 0.8% last year.
Year-to-date, the ZEV share of the HGV market remains unchanged from last year at 0.5%.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said:
“After last year’s surge in truck demand, one quarter of decline is not a cause for serious concern. Falling zero emission truck uptake, however, is another matter, showing the market is struggling to keep up with ambition. Reforming the Plug-in Truck Grant and more rapidly rolling out infrastructure would help encourage more operators to switch to zero emission vehicles sooner, instead of delaying their transition and decarbonisation.”
