Commercial vehicle recovery continues

4th August 2011

Light commercial vehicle sales in June were 13.5% up on a year ago, according to the latest official industry figures, at 22,850 units.  On a rolling annual basis, the market is 24% up at 248,883 units.

• LCVs up to 2 tonnes – up 24% in June at 4,874 units.  First half of 2011 up 8% on the same period of 2010 at 26,168 units
• LCVs 2-2.5 tonnes – down 0.3% at 2,956 units.  First half up 23% at 16,394 units
• LCVs 2.5-3.5 tonnes – up 12% at 12,322 units.  First half up 27% at 73,051 units
• 4x4 utilities – up 42% at 577 units.  First half up 42% at 3,429 unit
• Pick-ups – up 18% in June at 2,121 units.  First half up 43% on a year ago at 14,196 units.

“June saw the 17th successive monthly rise for new van registrations, up by 13%, demonstrating business confidence and commitment in the commercial vehicle market,” Paul Everitt, the SMMT Chief Executive said.

Van registrations have recovered strongly from depths of recession in late 2009 and early 2010 – a trend reflected across most of Europe, suggesting that the recovery could be robust. 

The latest figures available from ACEA, the European vehicle manufacturers’ association, show that across the EU demand for LCVs was up 9.5% in the first six months of this year with 826,268 new vans registered.  Most were registered in France (222,722 units), followed by the UK (133,238 units) and Germany (110,306 units). All three expanded, by 5.1%, 24.2% and 19.9% respectively.  Spain was the only major market to contract (by 13.3%).