Battery electric van (BEV) uptake had its best ever October, up 58% to 3,369 registrations according to new figures.
BEV market share is now 12.9% according to the SMMT and bolsters the year-to-date share at 11%.
The SMMT said this was “significant growth” and helped by more than 40 different zero-emission models.
It said the plug-in van grant and depot charging scheme had also provided support to buyers but manufacturers had also been forced to provide heavy discounts to avoid further punitive ZEV Mandate compliance costs.
The new light commercials market grew 11.4% in October with 25,510 vans, pickups and 4x4s joining the road and resulted in the market’s seventh consecutive month of growth.
Large vans continued to deliver the bulk of volume growth, up 12.9% to 18,560 units.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said, “Seven months of new van market growth reflects a slight recovery in buyer confidence after 2025, but the fragility of this confidence makes the EV transition particularly tough to deliver.
“While electric van uptake is accelerating rapidly, demand remains far behind the optimistic and unrealistic expectations of the mandate.”
Sue Robinson, CEO of the National Franchised Dealers Association, said the EV increase was positive, but that challenges remained.
“The government’s ongoing review of the ZEV Mandate must deliver realistic targets, alongside greater investment in charging infrastructure and support for businesses making the transition to electric vehicles,” she said.
