The UK’s new van market rose by 6.8% in April, marking a welcome return to growth and a boost for eLCV take-up.

A total of 21,716 new vans, pickups and 4x4s joined UK roads last month, according to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The rise in take-up compares against a weak April last year – when tax changes took their toll on demand – but the return to growth after last month’s “disappointing” 3.4% fall was lauded.

Performance was mixed. Overall growth was driven by deliveries of large vans, up 28.5% to 15,561 units, representing 71.7% of all new LCVs registered, but  medium-sized vans fell by 20.0% to 3,476 units.

In the smaller volume segments, registrations of 4x4s rose by 81.6% to 1,024 units, while small vans fell 14.4% to 489 units.

And demand for pickups slumped again, down 57.4% to just 1,166 units. This rounds off volume declines in 11 of the past 12 months, following last April’s fiscal changes to treat double cabs as cars for Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) purposes. While double cab VED and VAT rules remain the same, the SMMT said the BiK measure is heaping additional costs on crucial business sectors such as farming and construction.

The industry continues to urge the Government to reverse the measure, which it said would unlock investment in the latest, increasingly zero-emission models – such as the newly debuted KGM Musso EV and the Isuzu D-Max EV. The SMMT added that this would get older and more polluting vehicles off the road while boosting Treasury tax receipts.

More positively, demand for battery electric vans (BEVs) grew strongly following a decline in March, up 44.7% with 2,439 registrations in April. However, the 11.1% market share for BEVs still represents less than half the 24% share mandated for 2026.

More than half of the UK’s LCV model offering is currently available with a plug, backed by substantial manufacturer discounts and the Government’s Plug-in Van Grant – yet the higher upfront cost of BEV fleet renewal, rising energy costs and infrastructure challenges remain barriers to greater uptake.

With the year-to-date share for BEVs still just 9.4%, the sector continues to call for an urgent and holistic review of the transition – ensuring the regulation reflects market realities and operators have the additional support they need to accelerate zero emission adoption.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “April’s improved market is welcome news, despite a tough economic environment. New LCV investment drives growth and decarbonisation, but must be sustained by investment in public and depot BEV infrastructure – and a reversal of BiK on double cabs – to build momentum for fleet renewal that cuts emissions and boosts business.”

The latest industry outlook is also now out, revealing a downwards shift in forecasts. The outlook expects 314,000 units to be delivered this year – flat (-0.5%) compared with last year, and 7,000 units fewer than January’s outlook. BEVs up to 3.5 tonnes are expected to see volume growth of 25%, half the level anticipated in January, reaching a market share of 11.1% – considerably adrift of the ZEV mandate ambition.

Commenting on the registration figures, Sue Robinson, chief executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), said it was encouraging to see overall growth in the LCV market in April, driven primarily by strong demand for larger vans and 4x4s.

“However, the sharp and continued decline in pickup registrations is significantly distorting the market, masking underlying trends in core van segments,” she added.

“While some areas of the market remain resilient, ongoing economic pressures and uncertainty continue to impact business confidence and investment decisions. Ensuring the right conditions for fleet renewal, including support for the transition to zero-emission vehicles, remains essential.”