“It is encouraging to see growth in the heavy van segment this December, with registrations up by 806 units (+4.6%) compared with December 2024. This may indicate a degree of reassurance from the business sector that the November Budget was not as severe as initially anticipated” said Sue Robinson, Chief Executive of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), which represents franchised car and commercial vehicle retailers in the UK commenting on the latest SMMT’s new van registration figures. In December, Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) dealers registered a total of 27,694 new vans, pickups and 4×4s, a 1.7% increase compared with December 2024. Registrations by segment in December showed pickups at 3,613 units (-6.2%), 4×4s at 802 units (+112.2%), vans ≤2.0t at 582 units (-8.3%), vans >2.0–2.5t at 4,238 units (-9.9%), and vans >2.5–3.5t at 18,459 units (+4.6%). Demand for battery electric vans (BEVs) in December rose, with 336 larger rigid BEV units (+202.7%) and 2,673 smaller BEV vans (<3.5t) included in the totals, contributing to growing electrified uptake in the van market. Year-to-date in 2025, LCV registrations stood at 315,422 units, a -10.3% decline compared with 2024. Medium-sized vans declined to 51,639 units (-20.7%) and large vans to 210,262 units (-9.8%), while small vans and 4×4s increased slightly 6to 8,766 (+1.9%) and 7,447 (+2.3%) units respectively. Demand for battery electric vans (BEVs) for the full year increased, with 30,169 registrations (+36.2%), although the share of the LCV market remained below the mandated target. Sue Robinson added: “A significant amount of business confidence was lost during 2025, with many commercial buyers delaying fleet replacement decisions amid ongoing economic uncertainty. This decline was most evident in the core 2.0–2.5t and 2.5–3.5t van segments. “While BEV commercial registrations are increasing, they remain below the Government’s ZEV demand levels, and the market continues to have a practical demand for diesel derivatives, which still represented 84.7% of sales last year. This highlights the real concern among potential buyers, who are holding back from making the transition to EV.”