Fleets just aren’t wanting electric vans as new van sales decline in July

FEWER fleets are turning to electric vans than expected, according to the SMMT, which has revised down its EV LCV forecast for the year following the latest new vehicle registration figures.

Zero emission commercial vehicle uptake is down 7% for the year-to-date and is now forecast to hit an EV mix of 6.6% for the full year, down from an 8.2% prediction three months ago. 

SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes described the drop as a “major concern” and blamed the “paucity of van-specific charging infrastructure” for holding back electric van sales.

The BVRLA echoed his words and added that there was a “lack of adequate incentives and a shortage of cost-effective product” for electric vans.

Under the Government’s ZEV Mandate, each brand needs to hit a 10% mix of electric LCVs. However, the BEV LCV mix has been broadly flat for the past two years, although a large part of this is due to Ford’s dominance in the LCV market.

According to data and pro-EV lobbying organisation New Automotive, many van makers are at or close to their 10% target. 

This is how the OEMs lined up in July:

• Volkswagen had a 7% BEV mix; 
• Vauxhall was at 12%; 
• Mercedes at 10%; 
• Peugeot at 17%; 
• but Ford had just over 1% EV. 

With Ford accounting for one third of the total market, this pulls the total EV mix down significantly. 

The EV mix should begin to change later in the year when Ford adds a BEV version of the new Transit Custom to its range.