Following some sales stagnation in the Summer, the new light van market has recorded promising sales numbers in November, with new registrations growing by 11% year-on-year last month.
According to the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), over 30,000 new LCVs arrived on British roads last month, this being close to 3,000 more registrations than the same month last year.
Sales were up over almost every category, with the exception of pick-up registrations which fell by 20% year-on-year. While 4x4s and mid-sized vans (between two and two-and-a-half tonnes) grew by 33% and 10% respectively, the small van market (under two tonnes) more than doubled in size in November, with new sales up 129%. That said, the small van sector is comparatively small to begin with.
The majority of this sales uptick comes from the large van category (between two-and-a-half and three-and-a-half tonnes). A 14% sales growth in this market increased total sales by nearly 2,500 registrations.
The SMMT comments that this November sales total is the second best on record, but also re-highlights its earlier warning that future demand for new pick-ups “is at serious risk” due to the government’s decision to tax double-cabs as cars for benefit-in-kind and capital allowances purposes beyond April 2025, using November’s notable decline in demand for pick-ups as evidence of this risk.
BEV sales growth comes too little too late
The electric van (BEV) market has recorded significant sales growth in recent months, following October’s 57% registrations uptick with a 32% higher all-electric sales total in November.
This is in stark contrast the rather depressing 30% and 19% sales nosedives for the electric van sector in August and September respectively, but the SMMT points out that the annual BEV market share is still slightly lower in 2024 than it was in 2023 – electric vans currently account for 5% of all new van registrations.
The government’s Vehicle Emissions Trading Scheme has targeted a BEV market share of 10% for each brand by the end of 2024.
So, why is the BEV market not growing like the electric car market? With each manufacturer now mandated to achieve a minimum proportion of zero-emission registrations every year, this has been a worrying development for the BEV sector. The SMMT has praised the government’s decision to extend the Plug-in Van Grant into the next financial year, but argues that increasing the rollout of charging stations – including van-specific charging infrastructure – will increase consumer BEV interest.
Good month, bad month
Some LCV manufacturers recorded great sales wins last month, while a few others failed to keep pace.
Holding the biggest market share, Ford’s sales grew by 33% year-on-year. The likes of Renault, Peugeot and Vauxhall also increased their registration numbers by 10% or over in November year-on-year. While a smaller volume manufacturer in the van market, Land Rover had a particularly impressive month, with 141% more sales than November last year.
Conversely, it wasn’t a healthy month of sales for the likes of Volkswagen, Citroën, Nissan, Maxus, Toyota and Mercedes-Benz. All of these brands underachieved compared to the overall market by at least 10% (and in some cases, by a lot more than that).
An insurmountable lead
One LCV model dominated the sales charts in 2023, and the same van has an even more comfortable lead this year. As of November 2024, the Ford Transit Custom now holds a rather ridiculous 26,000-model sales lead over its closest market competitor, the Vauxhall Vivaro.
Its larger Transit sibling remains in second place, and the Ford Ranger – the UK’s most popular pickup model by a country mile, sits in third. Ford is dominating the sales race with all three podium positions currently held, but can competing models from other brands snatch a place in the top three before the end of 2024?
The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter – which directly rivals the sales of the Ford Transit – is showing more consistent sales form, and holds on to fourth in the annual race after November.
The race for the ‘it’s-not-a-Ford’ title is still relatively close outside of the top three, with the Sprinter followed by the Vivaro and the Volkswagen Transporter in fifth and sixth respectively. The Renault Trafic, Vauxhall Combo, Peugeot Partner and Citroën Berlingo complete the annual sales standings.
