Electric vans reached a record 14.7% UK market share in July, SMMT says

Battery-electric vans and light commercial vehicles accounted for 14.7% of UK registrations in July, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

SMMT says 4,252 battery-electric light commercial vehicles were registered during the month, 74.1% more than in July 2025. Overall registrations of vans, pickups and 4x4s were 28,578, up 22.0%, it says.

The body says pickup registrations fell 53.2% to 888. It links the decline to the reclassification of double-cab pickups under benefit-in-kind and capital-allowance rules.

SMMT’s latest outlook expects 316,000 light commercial vehicles to be registered in 2026, a 0.2% increase on 2025. It forecasts battery-electric vehicles will account for 11.5% of registrations this year, below the 24% target it cites. Those forecasts and SMMT’s calls for regulatory changes are the trade body’s position.

What this means for Wales

The UK-wide figures provide context for Welsh businesses and fleets weighing up electric vans. This release does not give Wales-specific registrations or charging-infrastructure data, so it does not establish how individual operators in Wales will be affected.