LCV market to hold steady this year
13th February 2012
New van sales totalled 260,153 units in 2012, 16.7% up on 2010, official industry figures show. In December, the market was 7.8% up at 18,415 units.
- Pick-ups – 26,169 units, up 34.1%
- 4x4s – 6,678 units, up 25.3%
- Vans up to 2.0T – 45,566 units, up 2.7%
- Vans from 2.0 to 2.5T – 33,900 units, up 23.2%
- Vans from 2.5 to 3.5T – 147,840 units, up 17.2%
“The van and truck market enjoyed consistent growth throughout 2011,” said Paul Everitt, Chief Exec of the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders. “Renewed business confidence fuelled the month-on-month rises, while innovative developments in vehicle design and technologies provided solid business reasons for companies to upgrade their vehicles.”
The SMMT expects van sales to hold steady this year. “Building on the strong recovery of 2010 and 2011, this year’s market is expected to be marginally up on last year at over 262,000 vans, with a return to 2008 (290,000) levels on the cards for 2013,” commercial vehicle manager Nigel Base said, citing “the quality and range of products now on the market, a move up from 2.8 tonnes, fleet operators buying the biggest vehicle, a shift towards home deliveries, lower operating costs and payload volumes that are not that far off a 7.5t truck,” as reasons to be relatively optimistic about the level of demand for LCVs.