The new light commercial van market in the UK grew by 22% in February, according to figures published by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
These are unusual figures because the month is usually much quieter as van buyers wait for the new registration plate coming out in March.
However, February 2021 was the strongest for van sales since February 1998.
New vans hit the UK’s roads
The SMMT says that 17,205 new vans hit the UK’s roads with demand booming from online delivery firms and the construction sector.
The biggest surge in demand was seen for larger vans that weigh more than 2.5-3.5 tonnes and pickups.
Medium size vans and 4×4’s grew by a moderate amount, while small van sales fell by 24% to 689 vehicles.
The year-on-year performance for the sector is up by 9.5%.
The UK’s bestselling van
It should come as no surprise that the UK’s bestselling van in February was the Ford Transit with 2,699 sales.
In second place is the Ford Transit Custom, followed by the Mercedes Sprinter and the Peugeot Partner.
In fifth place is the Vauxhall Combo, then it’s the VW Transporter, the Ford Ranger and Transit Connect.
The Toyota Hilux takes ninth spot, with the Vauxhall Vivaro in tenth place.
‘February is usually a small volume month’
The SMMT’s chief executive, Mike Hawes, said: “It’s important to remember that February is usually a small volume month while businesses wait for the March plate change.
“We want to see this growth continue through the year and capitalising on the momentum will be important.”
Now that the Government has put in place a roadmap out of the pandemic lockdown, Mr Hawes says that businesses can look with increasing confidence over the next few months to upgrade their fleet of vans to the most efficient and latest vans available.