Just under 200,000 vans were registered in the first six months of this year – putting 2021 on course to be the third-best year for van uptake since records began, despite the chip shortages.
Almost 35,000 new vans were registered last month, pushing year-to-date registrations to 191,513 units; up 75.9% on last year and – more tellingly – up 1.8% on the pre-pandemic 2015-2019 five-year average.
Demand for vans was particularly bolstered by operators looking to renew and expand their fleets to meet rising online delivery business and demand from the construction sector.
However, after the bumper recovery figures in April and May, the June data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows van registrations were up 14.4% year-on-year but were still down 13.9% on the 2019 performance; a shortfall of some 5,566 units.
The decline came after supply shortages – notably of semi-conductors – affected production volumes and caused delays in the market.
The rise in June was driven by demand for larger 2.5-3.5 tonne vans, which accounted for 24,434 vans and made up the majority (71%) of all registrations in the month.
Other van segments were down in demand compared to 2020, with registrations of lighter vans weighing less than or equal to 2.0 tonnes falling 18.7% and those of vans weighing more than 2.0-2.5 tonnes declining 4.3%.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “It’s good to see the van market continue to perform well, with pent-up demand, online retail and the construction sectors all on the rise. Semi-conductor supply issues have extended lead times, but business confidence is growing and fleets are embarking on decarbonisation programmes.
“Full market transition, however, still depends on the creation of nationwide charging infrastructure to support society and maintain commercial vehicle momentum.”
