Mike Hawes, CEO of SMMT interviewed by John Kirwan for Motor Dealer Journal.
Images by DFphotography.co.uk
The UK LCV market grew by 10.8% to 34,950 items in September.
This made it probably the most widespread months of the yr for brand new van registrations as a result of plate change.
The SMMT mentioned that regardless of robust order books all through 2022, September is the primary month of progress in registrations this yr, as provide disruptions have restricted model availability.
The efficiency is, nonetheless, artificially inflated compared with 2021, which noticed the fewest registrations for the month because the 2009 recession, with this September nonetheless some -35.5% beneath the five-year pre-pandemic common.
The year-on-year enhance was pushed by the fulfilment of orders for vans weighing greater than 2.5 tonnes, up 13.9% to signify 73.8% of the market, whereas registrations of vans weighing greater than 2.0 tonnes to 2.5 tonnes rose by 40.8%.
Nevertheless, vans weighing lower than or equal to 2.0 tonnes had been down -21.5%.
Battery electrical automobile (BEV) deliveries continued their upward development, rising 70.0% to a market share of 4.4% – up from 2.9% in 2021.
BEV volumes elevated by 52.9% yr on yr from January to September.
General, UK van registrations throughout 2022 to this point are down -20.1% yr on yr at 213,576 items, and a few -24.8% beneath the pre-pandemic five-year common, regardless of robust order books for the most recent LCV fashions.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief govt, mentioned: “Whereas the total restoration of Britain’s new van market stays a way off, September progress displays van makers’ efforts to fulfil robust order books regardless of a paucity of provide. Excessive vitality prices and wider financial uncertainty, nonetheless, will undermine operator confidence, that means that long-term measures to offer stability and progress are wanted if the sector – so usually a bellwether for enterprise exercise – is to return to its previous success.”
