Van manufacturers have ‘mountain to climb’ on switch to electric

Just 5% of new vans sold in the UK last month were fully electric, leading to fears that manufacturers have “a mountain to climb” ahead of the ban on diesel models.

Figures from green motoring consultancy New AutoMotive show 93% of the 17,140 new vans registered in July were diesel-powered.

Sales of new diesel and petrol vans and cars will be prohibited in the UK from 2030, with hybrids banned five years later.

The 5% market share of pure electric vans in July was up from 3% during the same month last year.

But that is dwarfed by the growth in demand for electric cars, with 11% of new cars registered last month being fully electric.

New Automotive research and policy officer Ciara Cook said: “It is great that more and more businesses and individuals are discovering the benefits of switching to an electric van.

“However, there is still a mountain to climb, with over 15,000 new diesel vans registered in July.

“Each new ICE (internal combustion engine) van registered is a polluting vehicle that will stay on the roads for years to come.”

She added that the running cost savings from electric vans could be “crucial for many businesses” following the surge in diesel prices.