Photo: Markus Winkler
A motoring expert Mike Hawes has made claims that the decarbonisation of the automotive sector remains essential and urges for more charging infrastructure, despite a continuous nine month growth in Britain’s new van market.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) recently reported that Britain’s new light commercial vehicle (LCV) market grew for the ninth month in a row in September, up 28.1% with 44,760 of the latest vans, pickups, and 4x4s joining UK roads.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:
“Decarbonising this sector is fundamental to the wider net zero transition and, as vans are business critical, urgent measures are needed to grow operator confidence to invest now, in 2024 and beyond. In particular, the specific needs of van operators must be considered when planning public charging strategies.”
Operators continue to opt for payload and fuel efficiencies, with the largest vans remaining the biggest market for new buyers in September, rising 13.0% to 29,150 units.
Medium-sized vans also saw significant growth, up 89.0% to 7,085 units, while demand for pickups and 4x4s increased by 64.4% and 141.8% respectively.
With 25 zero emission van models now available in the UK, these vehicles are capable of carrying out a wide range of roles for operators, from local businesses to some of the country’s largest organisations.
As a result, a UK record of 14,296 electric vans have been registered since January, commanding 5.5% of the overall market.
However, Hawes stresses that there is a clear need for a national plan that gives more van operators the confidence to make net zero investments. In particular, Hawes highlights the need for public charging infrastructure and its accommodation for vans of all shapes and sizes so that van drivers realise the full benefits of zero emission motoring.
