Britain’s van market is growing, and electric models are taking a bigger share of it. New figures from the SMMT show that September 2026 was the busiest month of the year for new vans, with a record number of electric vans registered.
Smaller businesses are playing a strong part in this growth. Their new car registrations rose by more than a third in September, and research from Right Fuel Card shows that many small firms are ready to go electric when the numbers add up.
Prices are falling, choice is widening and support for charging is growing. Together, these trends give small fleet operators a good opportunity to plan their next vehicles.
A record month for electric vans
Electric van registrations rose 13.4% in September 2026 to 4,832 units, the highest monthly total on record. This followed a strong August, when electric vans took a record 16.3% share of the market.
The wider van market is also performing well. A total of 49,704 new vans, pickups and 4x4s were registered in September, up 4.8% on the same month last year. It was the sixth month of growth in a row and the highest monthly figure of 2026, ahead of March, which is usually the busiest month.
More models and more choice
Operators now have more than 40 electric van models to choose from, and the SMMT says these can meet the needs of most fleets. Buyers also benefit from the Plug-in Van Grant, which lowers the purchase price of new electric vans.
Electric vans made up 10.8% of new van registrations in the first nine months of 2026. With a government target of 24%, there is plenty of room for further growth, and manufacturers are investing in new models and offering strong discounts to support it.
Small businesses lead car growth
Smaller businesses were the fastest growing group of new car buyers in September 2026. Their registrations rose 37.3% to 10,372 units, well ahead of growth in other parts of the market.
Fleet registrations also rose, up 9.6% to 190,998 units, making up 54.5% of all new cars. Electric cars continue to grow in popularity, with 454,947 registered in the first nine months of 2026, a 26.2% share of the market.
What small firms want
Research from Right Fuel Card, published in November 2025, gives useful background on what drives small fleet decisions. At that time, 9% of the businesses surveyed ran electric vehicles. The appetite to change was much stronger, with 43% saying cost savings would encourage them to invest in an electric fleet and 37% pointing to cheaper vehicles.
Small firms make up most of the fuel card market. Some 40% of users were self-employed and 39% worked for businesses with fewer than 10 staff. Transport and storage was the largest sector at 32%, followed by construction at 14% and agriculture and forestry at 8%.
Falling prices open new options
The cost of going electric is coming down. Right Fuel Card noted that new electric vehicle prices fell by about 7.7% in 2025, and it expects further falls as competition grows, battery costs drop and production becomes more efficient.
Electric vehicles also offer lower fuel and maintenance costs over their working life. For small firms with predictable local routes, this makes electric vans an increasingly practical choice.
Charging support is growing
Charging is becoming easier to access. The SMMT highlighted the Depot Charging Scheme and the launch of GB Grid, both of which can speed up the rollout of public and depot chargepoints.
These measures will open electric vans to more operators. The SMMT has also asked the government to set clear long-term plans, giving manufacturers and businesses the confidence to invest in new vehicles.