The UK new light commercial vehicle (LCV) market fell 74.1% year on year to 7,541 units in May as the nationwide coronavirus lockdown continued to impact registrations, according to the latest data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
Mimicking trends seen in the previous month of lockdown, smaller commercial vehicles saw larger drops in demand, with just 741 pickups and 26 4x4s registered in May, down 80.3% and 83.8% respectively.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Vans weighing 2.0 tonnes or less saw a 84.0% decline and registrations of mid-sized vans weighing more than 2.0-2.5 tonnes fell 78.7%.
Registrations of larger vans weighing 2.5-3.5 tonnes saw a decline of -70.4%, with 5,412 units delivered.
As lockdown has continued for more than two of the first five months of the year, performance year to date has declined 49.6%, with almost half the number of vehicles registered – 78,835 – than in the same period last year.
Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said: “While slightly better than April, these figures are still extremely worrying. As more businesses reopen, we are seeing a gradual uptick in fleet renewal orders.
How well do you really know your competitors?
Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.
Thank you!
Your download email will arrive shortly
Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample
We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form
By GlobalData“However, restoring operator confidence to ensure they continue to invest in their fleets is the only way to get more of the latest, cleanest commercial vehicles on our roads. This will be critical not just to the economy but to the resumption of normality for business and society which depends on this sector.”
