Electric van demand sparking up but more to be done to go green

• Advert views of new electric vans jump 75% YoY in September compared with 16% decline in diesels
• Electric van enquiries to retailers jump 149% YoY as share of new van stock jumps to 16%
• Ford biggest player in new Electric van market with 29% share of advert views: its E-Transit Custom (at £32,324) receives one in four of all electric van enquiries
• "Still more to be done" on charging infrastructure and affordability to encourage businesses to switch to electric, according to Autotrader's Ian Plummer

LONDON, 23 October 2025 - Interest in electric vans has almost doubled over the past year as tradespeople are increasingly willing to embrace greener options and new players enter the market, but more needs to be done on affordability and charging infrastructure to accelerate uptake, according to Autotrader, the UK's largest automotive platform,

Autotrader's data shows 89,414 views of electric vans on the marketplace in September 2025, a 75% jump on the same month last year. The surge in interest contrasts with a 16% slide in views for diesel vans.

The rise in interest is driven by a greater choice of models and a growing interest in zero-emission alternatives with lower running costs as well as the recent extension of the Government's plug in van and truck grant, which currently offers discounts of up to £5,000 on the retail prices of electric vans, dependent on factors including weight and carbon emissions.

Diesel-powered vans still dominate advert views (586,178) compared to electric vans, accounting for 72% versus 11% respectively, with a lack of affordable models compared to diesel counterparts still hindering progress. While models like Kia's new PV5, the purpose-built electric van, and eligible for the £5,000 grant, are drawing interest, many larger models do not qualify for the grant.

By brand, Ford has strengthened its already dominant position as the most viewed electric van manufacturer on the Autotrader platform, accounting for 45% of new EV stock compared to 26% in September 2024 and generating 41% of leads from buyers.

Its E-Transit Custom model, which is eligible for the Government's Electric Vehicle Grant (EVG), receives a quarter of all new electric van leads. Other popular models, including Kia's PV5, MAXUS' eTERRON9, Volkswagen's ID. Buzz Cargo and Mercedes-Benz's eVito also rank among the top five most viewed new electric vans.

In the used van market, diesel dominates with 10m advert views compared to just 441,000 for electric vans, although interest is rising from a low base. Overall diesel views were down 3% on 12 months ago in September 2025 compared with a 44% rise in advert views of used electric vans. Ford accounts for almost one in five of all used electric van stock but Mercedes-Benz is the most viewed brand, with its eVito model (averaging £20,435) the most popular by advert views.

To further accelerate progress, Autotrader is urging the Government to:

• Expand the Plug-in Van Grant to include more models
• Take decisive action on charging infrastructure to accommodate the needs of larger vans which need more spacious and high-volume charging facilities. Without this, small-to-medium sized businesses will be more hesitant to transition to electric vehicles.
• Remove the VAT surcharge on public charging points.

"There are five million vans on UK roads and if we want to hit 2035 targets, the Government needs to offer more support to consumers, and businesses in particular, by making charging points more accommodating for larger vehicles as well as extending the grants to more models."

Top five most viewed new electric vans on Autotrader (Sept 2025)