Commercial Vehicles Market Insight: Q2 2026

In our latest quarterly Commercial Vehicle Market Insight webinar, John Brannigan and Natalie Short looked at where growth is coming from, what is changing and what OEMs and dealerships should be thinking about next.

The commercial vehicle market ended Q2 in a much stronger position than it began the year with registrations growing across all three months. All in all, year-to-date registrations for vans up to 3.5 tonnes reached 158,648, that’s 1.7% ahead of the same point last year.

Missed the webinar? Watch the full recording here.

Where the market is moving

The latest SMMT commercial vehicle registration data shows that vans between 2.5 and 3.5 tonnes remain the strongest part of the market, with 113,114 registrations so far this year, up 13.4% on 2025. The 2.0-to-2.5-tonne segment also edged up, from 26,408 to 27,422 registrations.

Elsewhere, the picture is more mixed. Registrations for vans under two tonnes fell from 4,907 to 3,287, while pickups dropped from 20,902 to 9,222.

That fall in pickups was expected following the tax treatment changes affecting double-cab models and the rush to register vehicles before the new rules took effect. The next few quarters should give a clearer view of the underlying level of commercial demand.

Meanwhile, rigid vehicles moved in the opposite direction with registrations rising from 5,446 to 7,990 and battery electric rigids between 3.5 and 4.25 tonnes almost doubled, increasing from 928 to 1,774.

Familiar names still lead

Ford remains the clear market leader with 45,210 registrations and a 28.5% share despite its volume being down by 19.3% year to date.

Volkswagen followed with 19,200 registrations up 25.5%, while Peugeot reached 14,245 and Renault 13,780. Mercedes also grew by just over 20%, reaching 10,846 registrations.

There are signs of change further down the table too. Kia has entered the market with 2,455 registrations, while Maxus grew to 3,277.

John and Natalie also discussed the likely arrival of more Chinese commercial vehicle brands. As we have seen in the car market, new entrants can do more than just win sales, they can create curiosity and encourage customers to look twice at the wider market.

At model level, the Ford Transit Custom remains out in front with 23,000 registrations, followed by the Ford Transit at 11,616 and Volkswagen Transporter at 8,764.

Electric vans are gaining ground

Whilst diesel still dominates the sector with 133,924 registrations and 83.5% of the market, electric commercial vehicle registrations have increased from 13,512 to 15,880, taking their share from 8.6% to 9.9%.

That is a positive shift but for commercial vehicle customers the decision is still a practical one – payload, range, charging time, route requirements and downtime all matter.

Notably, the change allowing zero-emission vehicles up to 4.25 tonnes to be driven under standard Category B licence provisions could help remove some of those barriers. John expects this to be an important area to watch during the second half of the year.

Support is available, but are customers aware of it?

The session also highlighted a range of incentives already available to businesses considering a vehicle change. These include the Annual Investment Allowance, full expensing for qualifying companies and tax treatment for leased commercial vehicles.

Electric van grants can also contribute up to £2,500 towards qualifying smaller vans and £5,000 towards qualifying larger vans.

The Workplace Charging Scheme has been extended to March 2027 and can cover up to 75% of eligible installation costs, capped at £500 per socket for up to 40 sockets.

Larger fleets may already understand these options but smaller businesses, trades and self-employed customers may not. This gives dealership teams an opening to add value. The role is not to replace an accountant but to understand the support available, explain the broad options and point customers towards the right professional advice.

Charging is improving

Charging availability remains one of the biggest concerns for commercial vehicle operators, particularly where time off the road means lost income.

The webinar data showed total EV charging provision increasing by 10% year on year, with ultra-rapid charging up 37%. LEVI funding is also supporting around 40,000 on-street chargers, while more than 40% of local councils now offer some form of cross-pavement charging solution.

For dealerships, local knowledge matters. Teams should understand what charging is available nearby, what their council is planning and whether home or workplace charging is realistic for the customer.

A conversation built around the customer’s actual routes, parking arrangements and working day will always be more useful than a general discussion about EV range.

Become a business adviser, not just a vehicle seller

The clearest message from the session was to understand the customer’s business before recommending the vehicle.

That means looking beyond mileage and payload. What are their sustainability plans? Do they supply public-sector organisations or larger companies? Could future contracts require stronger environmental commitments? Are they considering a phased move away from diesel?

The dealerships that can have those conversations will be better placed to build trust and support customers for the longer term.

Key takeaways for Q3

• Target local SMEs, trades and existing business customers more proactively.
• Use small, focused events to explain EV options, charging and available support.
• Build local knowledge of charging infrastructure and council plans.
• Do not assume a returning diesel customer only wants another diesel.
• Understand the customer’s longer-term business plans before recommending a vehicle.

The market is moving forward again, but demand is shifting between vehicle types, brands and powertrains. The opportunity for OEMs and Dealerships is to pair that market knowledge with a better understanding of what customers are trying to achieve in their businesses.

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