Demand for battery-electric vans in the UK grew for the fifth consecutive month in February, even as overall light commercial vehicle (LCV) sales declined, industry data showed on Saturday.
Registrations of new electric vans weighing up to 4.25 tonnes rose 55.1% year-on-year to 1,413 units, securing a 9.7% market share, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
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However, this remains below the 16% zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) market share required under the UK’s 2025 target. Ongoing discussions suggest the government could ease these mandates.
Meanwhile, total LCV sales fell 19.3%, marking the third straight month of declines and recording the weakest February performance since 2020. Despite the downturn, SMMT attributed the growth in electric van sales to an expanding range of models and government incentives such as the Plug-in Van Grant, which offers discounts of around £2,500 on smaller electric vans.
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“Against an increasingly difficult economic backdrop, van manufacturers have shown resilience, but the decline was perhaps inevitable after two years of strong performance,” said SMMT Chief Executive Mike Hawes. “Even in a contracting market, however, zero-emission uptake is positive but still struggles to match the ambition of regulation. While the ongoing plug-in van grant provides a lifeline, we still need support to bolster operator confidence, boost demand and deliver decarbonisation.”
SMMT has called for more investment in dedicated charging infrastructure for electric vans, as well as reductions in vehicle excise duty to further incentivize adoption.
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