New Market Analysis: Medium Vans

Date: Thursday, September 15, 2022 | Author: James Dallas

Plug-in models are dominating the new product news in the biggest light commercial vehicle sector.

Sales of new light commercial vehicles took another hit in August but the dominant 2.5 to 3.5-tonne sector, covering medium and large vans, weathered the storm better than the other market segments.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 2.5 to 3.5-tonne van registrations fell 14% to 12,176 year-on-year in August, which is traditionally a low-volume month prior to the September plate-change. In the first eight months of
the year, sales in the sector were down 17.8% to 130,934 compared to the corresponding period in 2021.

Medium vans featured strongly in the top 10 sellers’ list for August, with the Ford Transit Custom predictably retaining its position as the UK’s best-selling LCV overall with 1,903 registrations, ahead of the Vauxhall Vivaro, third overall, (1,102), VW Transporter, fifth overall, (739) and the Peugeot Expert (709), Renault Trafic (524) and Citroën Dispatch (510), which were the eighth, ninth and tenth best-selling LCVs overall in August.

The Transit Custom is not only the most popular new van in the UK but was also the most sought after used vehicle overall in the year up to August, according to online marketplace, Heycar. The company said the Transit Custom – which was more in demand than any passenger car on the platform – had seen a 26.8% increase in demand compared with the same period last year. The Transit Custom is also the site’s most popular vehicle with both a 21 and 22 number plate, while another medium van, the Volkswagen Transporter, took second place on those lists.

Ford has revealed details of its electric E-Transit Custom, which will come to market in 2023.

It claims it will have a range of up to 236 miles on a single charge and says the E-Transit Custom will be supported by Ford Pro services to help increase uptime by connecting vehicle data to its dealer network and by reducing operating costs.

The manufacturer also promises fresh styling, DC fast-charging and full towing capability for the E-Transit Custom. Features of the E-Transit Custom will include ProPower Onboard technology to provide exportable power for tools, lights and devices while on worksites.

The E-Transit Custom will enter production in the second half of 2023 at the Ford Otosan plant in Kocaeli, Turkey.

Stealing a march on the E-Transit Custom, is Volkswagen’s ID. Buzz Cargo (see First Drive page 21), which has just gone on sale in two trim levels. Prices, excluding VAT and the government’s plug-in van grant, start at £38,125 with Commerce trim, and rise to £42,375 for Commerce Plus.

Despite overall new LCV sales remaining under pressure demand is growing for battery-electric vans and Vauxhall is quick to point out that its Vivaro-e is the UK’s best-selling e-LCV with 2,473 units sold in the first eight months of the year.

Sticking to the electric theme and Royal Mail has ordered 1,000 Peugeot e-Experts to join the 28,000 Peugeot vans already on its fleet. Meanwhile, rental company Northgate Vehicle Hire is to add 350 Mercedes-Benz eVito vans to its fleet during the course of this year.

The company said the move was part of its Drive to Zero fleet electrification initiative, a proposition designed to ease the transition to electric LCVs. This includes a fleet suitability analysis, the provision of turnkey charging solutions, including infrastructure management via sister company ChargedEV, servicing, maintenance, and driver training support.

Finally, at the time of writing, Renault was expected to unveil its Trafic E-Tech at the IAA Hanover later in September.

Calendar

Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo September 2022

Renault Trafic E-Tech (est) September 2022

Ford E-Transit Custom June 2023

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