After six consecutive months of growth, the light van market set a notable benchmark in June, recording the best ‘first half year‘ of sales since pre-pandemic 2019.
According to the latest figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), close to 37,000 new LCVs joined the UK road network last month – around 8,000 more than in June 2022. This is a sales increase of 31% year-on-year.
The SMMT adds that total LCV sales for the year have now reached just under 170,000 light vans. This sales volume is 18% higher than the 2022 half year total of 144,000 – a reflection of increasing production and demand.
Registrations increased across almost every sector. 4×4 registrations for June grew by a pretty impressive 180% when compared to the same month last year, and sales of mid-size vans (between two and two-and-a-half tonnes) and pickups also grew by 161% and 41% respectively. In what is becoming a continuing trend, the sales of light vans under two tonnes fell by 43% last month.
Large vans (between two-and-a-half and three-an-a-half tonnes) still make up the large majority of new van sales, and this sector grew by 16% year-on-year.
Though sales are on the rise, the supply issues manufacturers are facing haven’t entirely dissipated, and the War in Ukraine and China’s persistent Covid-19 issues could cause further supply strain in the months to come.
BEV sales fall in June
While the light van industry is currently in positive shape overall, the battery-powered van (BEV) sales figures make for some depressing reading. BEV sales did not stagnate last month, they fell.
Electric light van registrations reached 1,775 units in June, 12% less than the sales total in June 2022. With more than 25 electric van models now available in the UK, battery-powered vans currently account for 5% of the new LCV market as a whole, which is the same as last year.
Diesel vans still account for 93% of new light van sales, and demand for electric vans remains some distance behind the new car market, where the BEV market share is three times greater.
As ever, the SMMT argues that limited customer incentives and inflationary pressures are currently key barriers to BEV uptake, besides the lack of charging infrastructure across the UK.
Good month, bad month
Just like the passenger car market, the LCV industry has been hindered by supply shortages for over two years now, and each van manufacturer has been dealing with supply issues to varying degrees.
The most impressive sales increase belongs to Land Rover for the second month running, which totalled an impressive 191% growth in registrations in June. Citroën, Peugeot, Renault, Isuzu and Toyota also outperformed the overall market by more than 10% last month.
Conversely, it wasn’t a healthy month of sales for the likes of Ford, Mercedes-Benz and Fiat. All of these brands underachieved compared to the overall market by at least 10% (and in some cases, by a lot more than that).
Ford remain unrivalled at the top of the best-sellers list
Following Ford’s 2022 dominance, the 2023 LCV best-sellers race has been dominated by the American manufacturer yet again, with the last-year’s best-selling LCV, the Transit Custom, in pole position. The larger Transit is also becoming a permanent fixture in second place, as Ford locked out the top two spots in June.
The Vauxhall Vivaro was the UK’s ‘best-of-the-rest’ candidate last month, but drops to fifth in the annual rankings. The Ford Ranger pickup is still the UK’s best-selling pickup model by a country mile, and finished in fifth in the monthly rankings for the third consecutive month.
The Renault Trafic, Citroën Berlingo, Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Volkswagen Transporter sit in the middle of the pack, while the Ford Transit Connect and Peugeot Partner complete the annual rankings after June.
