Big fall in new LCV registrations reported

Date: Thursday, May 5, 2022 | Author: Sean Keywood

New LCV registrations fell by 29.1% year-on-year in April, according to Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) figures.

The motor industry organisation said that the decline had been amplified by April 2021 having been the best-ever April for registrations – however, last month’s figure was also down by 12.2% compared with pre-Covid 2019.

The SMMT said that despite demand being strong across all segments, supply chain pressures locally and globally, including shortages of semiconductors, hampered deliveries.

The market-leading 2.5-3.5t van segment was down by 19.1% year-on-year, with 16,212 registrations, although this was still enough to increase its market share to account for three-quarters of all sales.

All other market segments saw extreme falls, with 2.0-2.5t vans down by 48.6%, to 2,122 registrations, and vans weighing less than 2.0t down by 48.2%, with 826 registrations.

Pick-ups were down by 44%, with 2,315 registered, and 4x4s were down by 77.8% to just 122 registrations.

The SMMT also reported a 52.7% year-on-year increase in electric van registrations, which accounted for 4.3% of the market last month.

For the market overall, the organisation has downgraded its whole-year forecast for 2022, from 363,000 registrations to 328,000.

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said: “Despite the global supply pressures on the UK’s light commercial vehicle sector, manufacturers are prioritising the most popular models, while investing in electric options where demand is slowly but steadily growing.

“Constrained supply, however, does mean that 2022’s new van market is expected to be down on last year’s bumper uptake.

“Even so, while market conditions remain challenging for van operators across the UK, now is the time for those looking to renew their fleets to put their orders in, as interest rates remain historically low and an increasing range of fuel efficient and electrified models are now available.”

The Ford Transit Custom topped the sales chart with 3,357 registrations in April, ahead of the Ford Transit on 2,987 and the Vauxhall Vivaro on 1,468.

Completing the top ten were the Citroen Relay (1,123 registrations), Ford Ranger (1,088), Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (1,001), Toyota Hilux (806), Volkswagen Transporter (740), Vauxhall Movano (684), and Citroen Dispatch (639).

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