- New heavy goods vehicle uptake declines -11.2% in Q2 as fleet
renewal continues to normalise.
- Demand falls across top four body types with tractors still
most popular, while refuse trucks grow.
- ZEV rollout up 59.1% during first half with record 0.9% share
– but equivalent to fewer than 200 units.
- Industry welcomes new depot infrastructure grants, with grid
reform now needed to unblock rollout.
Heavy goods vehicle (HGV) registrations fell by -11.2% in the
second quarter of 2025, with 10,185 new trucks joining UK roads,
according to the latest figures published today by the Society of
Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). The decline, amid a tough
economic environment, reflects the cyclical nature of fleet
renewal as the new HGV market continues to normalise following a
three-year period of robust post-pandemic growth.1
The Q2 decline was in part driven by an -8.1% drop in demand for
new tractor units – still representing more than two fifths
(42.2%) of the market – with 4,295 registered, as well as a
-33.1% fall in box vans, to 905 units. Deliveries of new tippers
and curtain-siders also declined, by -19.6% and -24.2% to 795 and
781 units respectively. Registrations of refuse collection
vehicles, meanwhile, bucked the trend, rising 11.4% to 614.
Demand for new zero emission HGVs also grew, up by 32.3% in the
quarter, with registrations in the first half of 2025 rising
59.1% compared with the same period last year. Volumes remain
small, however, with 183 units registered across the first six
months – a market share of 0.9%. Fleet decarbonisation is moving
in the right direction but with the UK aiming to have all new
HGVs weighing up to 26 tonnes zero emission by 2035, the
rate of uptake will need to grow rapidly.
Manufacturers are delivering huge choice for fleet operators,
with 35 different zero emission models already on the market and
able to meet a wide range of use cases. However, the upfront cost
of switching remains a barrier – particularly the investment
capital required to install depot infrastructure for
chargepoints.
The industry welcomes government's grant support for depot
upgrades announced in July, which will be a key enabler for
more fleets to make the transition. Getting that funding into the
ground now requires another challenge to be overcome, with
current planning processes resulting in grid connection waits of
up to 15 years – the same date as the end of sale date for all
new, non-zero emission vehicles.
Given decarbonising road transport is fundamental to the UK's
wider net zero ambitions, transport depots must be afforded the
same fast-tracking priority to grid connections as that recently
announced for data centres, wind farms and
solar.2 A longer term national strategy that
delivers public, HGV-suitable infrastructure across every region
is also needed so that all fleets can plan investment into
zero-emission fleet development.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “Another
quarter of decline in the new HGV market is unsurprising as the
market continues to normalise, but a return to growth must happen
soon given this sector is a crucial driver of the UK economy. The
highest first-half market share yet for zero-emission trucks is
positive, albeit it still represents less than one percent of the
market with many operators just one buying cycle from end of sale
deadlines. New depot infrastructure funding is welcome, and grid
reform must now follow so that operators can get the chargepoints
they need to confidently invest in their fleets.”
