Battery electric vans still lag behind mandate target

July saw the eighth successive month of decline in the light commercial vehicle (LCV) market, which fell -5.1 per cent to 23,433 new LCV registrations.

Demand fell across most categories this month, such as pickups and small vans, with last month being the weakest July since 2022.

LCV manufacturers have invested heavily to deliver choice across a range of electric van models, payloads and price points, with more than 40 to choose from. The market has seen deliveries of BEVs rising by 72.6 per cent to 2,442 in July, which shows eight months of continuous growth. But, this means that BEVs represent just 8.8 per cent of the overall market, which is far from the 16 per cent mandated.

The latest 2025 outlook is expected to decline by more than 30,000 units.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “Eight months of LCV market decline underlines the ongoing economic pressures facing businesses, yet the sector remains steadfast in its commitment to decarbonise. Manufacturers continue to invest in delivering a diverse range of zero emission vans to suit every use case, and it’s encouraging to see uptake growing—but to meet mandated targets, it must grow faster. Accelerating infrastructure rollout, streamlining planning processes and providing targeted support for fleet operators are essential to drive progress and keep the UK at the forefront of food transport decarbonisation.”