Electric van registrations rose by 58% in October, delivering the strongest percentage increase of 2026 and the best October recorded for battery-powered LCVs.

A total of 3,369 battery electric vans joined UK roads during the month, giving them a 12.9% share of the light commercial vehicle market.

The wider market also continued its recovery, with registrations increasing by 11.4% to 25,510 vans, pickups and commercial 4x4s, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and TradersExternal link image (SMMT). October marked the seventh consecutive month of growth, taking the year-to-date total to 276,885 vehicles, up 4.8%.

Large and medium van demand rises

Large vans weighing between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes generated most of the growth, with registrations rising by 12.9% to 18,560 units. They represented almost three-quarters of the entire LCV market during October.

Medium van registrations increased by 14.3% to 3,825 units, although demand for small vans fell by 11.7% to just 462 vehicles.

Commercial 4×4 registrations more than doubled, rising by 104.3% to 899 units, while pickup demand declined by 17.7%.

Electric vans remain behind ZEV target

Despite the sharp October increase, battery electric vans accounted for only 11% of LCV registrations across the first ten months of 2026.

That remains less than half the 24% target set for manufacturers under the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate.

More than 40 electric van models are now available in the UK, supported by the Zero Emission Van Grant and the government’s Depot Charging Scheme. However, the SMMT says manufacturers are still relying on substantial discounts to stimulate demand and limit potential mandate penalties.

Its latest outlook forecasts 329,000 LCV registrations during 2026, representing annual growth of 4.2%. Electric vans weighing up to 3.5 tonnes are expected to finish the year with a 10.4% market share, 13.6 percentage points behind the mandate target.

The gap is predicted to widen over the following two years. The SMMT expects electric vans to reach 14.9% in 2027 and 18.8% in 2028, against mandate targets of 34% and 46%, respectively.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said electric van uptake was accelerating, but remained “far behind the optimistic and unrealistic expectations of the mandate”.

The trade body is calling for a more achievable mandate trajectory, longer-term purchase incentives and faster delivery of public and depot charging infrastructure.

Phil Huff
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