Zapmap, which tracks the growth in EV sales in the UK, says that 2023 saw the biggest annual increase in the number of electric van registrations, with over 20,000 electric vans registered, showing a growth of 21% on 2022.
The number of electric vans as a proportion of all new vans increased from 1.8% in 2020 to 5.9% in 2022 where it remained for 2023.
In September 2024, there were 2,342 electric vans registered, 4.8% of all new van sales. Over the past 12 months the average number of new electric vans registered is around 1,800.
The proportion of new electric vans has varied between 3.6% and 10% over this period. The peak months for electric van sales was December 2023, with 2,964 registrations.
Michelle Gardner, Deputy Director – Policy, Logistics UK, said: “Our members are committed to making the transition to zero emission vehicles and it is encouraging to see UK businesses continue their commitment to adding electric vehicles to their fleets.
“Fleet operators face many challenges in adopting electric vans, including additional cost, lack of suitable infrastructure and loss of payload. To help support members, Logistics UK has been calling for an agreed and co-created logistics roadmap to net zero to aid investment decisions and - as a partner of the Zero Emission Van Plan - we have been seeking urgent steps from government, including removing regulatory barriers, to help more fleets transition to EVs’.
“A simple legislative change requiring would be to align 4.25 tonne electric vans with 3.5 tonne diesel vans. The batteries in electric vans make them heavier than the equivalent sized diesel vans, meaning operators that make the switch are exposed to costly licensing, more expensive MOTs and drivers’ hours rules designed for HGVs.
“Aligning electric and diesel vans would help remove the regulatory barriers that are currently limiting the uptake of electric commercial vehicles.”
EU commercial vehicle registrations by comparison: Vans +8.5% - Q4 2024
In the first nine months of 2024, new EU van sales increased by 8.5%, reaching 1,170,310 units, driven by positive results in all four key markets. Spain led with a remarkable 16.7% rise, followed by Germany at 8.2%, Italy at 7.3%, and France at 5.8%.
Diesel remained the preferred choice for new EU van buyers in the first three quarters of 2024. Sales rose by 10.6% to 989,975 units, maintaining a stable 84.6% market share.
The increase of petrol models (+7.5%) is stabilising, accounting for a 6.1% market share. Electrically chargeable vans experienced a steep decline of 12.8%, capturing a 5.7% market share, down from 7.1% last year. Hybrid-electric van sales dropped by 4.3% and now make up 2% of the market.
