In Europe and the United Kingdom, vans have long been the preferred method of transportation for commercial fleet customers, and in that area, Ford has long dominated the market as well. The Ford Transit Custom, specifically, has ranked as the best-selling van in the UK for some time now, but the full-size Ford Transit hasn’t lagged far behind, generally finishing second in terms of sales behind its lineup mate. That was once again the case throughout 2024, as the Ford Transit ranked second in terms of van and light-commercial vehicle (LCV) sales in the UK yet again.
According to new data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders (SMMT), the Ford Transit ranked only behind the Transit Custom in terms of van and LCV sales last year in the UK, closing out the year with 31,322 sales compared to the Transit Custom’s 46,967 units moved. Second place is precisely where the Ford Transit also ranked in UK sales in the first-half of 2024, as well as November, while the Ford Puma closed out the year on top of the UK’s passenger vehicle sales charts, too.
As for the overall UK LCV market, it rose by three percent to 351,834 units in 2024 thanks to 27,221 new LCV registrations in December alone – its best performance since 2021. In terms of individual segments, large vans increased by 2.1 percent to a 66.3 percent market share, while small/medium vans grew by 12.3 percent to account for 44.5 of the market, though 4x4s declined by 9.7 percent and pickups dropped by 8.3 percent. As for EV vans, sales grew by 3.3 percent, though they accounted for just 6.3 percent of the market – the same as 2023.
“Vans, 4x4s, and pickups keep businesses everywhere on the move, making this sector a barometer of the UK economy,” said Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive. “The best overall volume in three years, therefore, is good news with van makers striving to deliver abundant and competitive EV choice. Buyer confidence, however, will inevitably be undermined when charging infrastructure does not meet the needs of fleet operations. A review of EV regulation is crucial, therefore, to reflect current market realities and ensure ambitions are deliverable, without any negative and costly consequences.”
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