The shift to electric vehicles is not only happening in passenger cars. September also delivered the strongest month yet for battery-electric van registrations in the UK.
SMMT reported that the wider light commercial vehicle market grew by 4.8% in September, with 49,704 new vans, pickups and 4x4s joining UK roads.
The van market has now grown for six consecutive months
September marked the sixth consecutive month of growth for the light commercial vehicle sector and produced the highest monthly volume of 2026.
That is significant because van demand is closely linked to business confidence, construction, logistics, deliveries and the wider economy.
Electric van uptake reached a record
Battery-electric van registrations achieved their best-ever monthly performance. Manufacturers now offer a much broader selection of electric vans, from compact urban delivery vehicles to larger panel vans.
For fleets with predictable routes and depot charging, electric vans can be particularly attractive because vehicles may return to the same base every night.
But the market is still behind the mandate
Despite the record month, SMMT said electric van uptake remains less than half the level implied by the current mandated target.
That highlights a challenge also seen in the car market: manufacturers can increase model availability, but buyers still need the economics, charging infrastructure and operational practicality to work for their specific use case.
Commercial buyers make different calculations
A private car buyer may focus heavily on purchase price and convenience. A van operator often looks at total cost of ownership, payload, downtime, charging strategy, tax treatment and whether the vehicle can complete a working route reliably.
For a business doing urban deliveries and returning to a depot each evening, an electric van may work extremely well. For high-mileage or unpredictable long-distance use, the calculation can be more difficult.
Why used electric vans will become more important
As new electric van registrations rise, more will eventually reach the second-hand market. That could make electric commercial vehicles accessible to smaller businesses that cannot justify the price of a brand-new model.
Used buyers will need clear information on battery health, warranty, charging history, payload and real-world range under load.
A growing part of the wider vehicle market
The record September result shows that electric commercial vehicles are moving beyond early trials, but the gap to policy targets remains substantial.
For dealers and fleet operators, that makes electric vans a market worth watching closely. The next stage is likely to depend as much on charging infrastructure and operating costs as on the number of models available.
Source: Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, 5 October 2026.
