New battery electric vans registrations up 14.7% in March

New SMMT figures show that new battery electric vans (BEVs) registrations are continuing to rise, up 14.7% to 2,906 units this March - taking up 5.5% of the whole LCV market, but up only slightly from 5.3% in March last year. 

The light commercial vehicle market overall was up 11.1%, with 52,916 new LCVs joining the roads in March.

As a result, the van sector in 2024 delivered its best first quarter for three years,2 with volumes now just -7.7% below Q1 2019.

The SMMT says that with manufacturers now mandated to achieve increasingly ambitious proportions of zero emission sales, urgent action is needed to improve the confidence of operators – from large fleets to small businesses and the self-employed – to switch to the growing range of BEV models on offer.

The organisation also says that urgent action is also needed to address the concerns of some businesses. This includes tackling charging anxiety by ramping up van-suitable public infrastructure across the UK, from motorways to residential streets, so that operators have full confidence to charge wherever and whenever they need. At the same time, with the cost of VAT on public charging four times higher than private or home charging, this disparity presents another obstacle for businesses planning to transition to a net zero fleet, which is essential if the UK’s world-leading net zero market is to be met.

Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said: "A strong new plate month with the greatest number of zero emission vans joining UK roads is a bellwether of the sector’s progress, cutting emissions while keeping British businesses on the move. Industry is ready to deliver further, but with green uptake still below mandated levels, swift action is needed to give new van buyers the confidence to go electric. Rapid delivery of van-suitable public charging points and removing the hurdle of taxation on their use are key to greener fleets and a greener future."