DEMAND for Vauxhall electric vans in the UK remains high, with latest sales figures being great news for the Ellesmere Port car factory.

Vauxhall was the UK’s best-selling electric van manufacturer in 2023, according to the latest new light commercial vehicle registration figures published today (Friday, January 5) by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The brand topped the sales charts for the third year in a row, selling 6,402 electric vans in 2023 – more than double its nearest competitor.

The success of Vauxhall’s electric vans as private and fleet vehicles means that more than a quarter (29.8%) of electric light commercial vehicles (e-LCVs) registered in 2023 was a Vauxhall.

The figures should be encouraging to the car firm's Ellesmere Port plant, which last year became the UK's first EV-only volume manufacturing plant, following a £100 million investment. Workers there produce the Stellantis small electric van range, including the Vauxhall Combo Electric.

Vauxhall is one of few brands to offer an electric variant across its entire LCV line-up. In 2023, nearly a fifth (18.5%) of Vauxhall’s overall van sales were of fully electric variants.

Vauxhall’s entire LCV range (Combo, Vivaro and Movano) has recently been upgraded to feature new powertrains, new technologies and significant price reductions on electric models compared to their predecessors.

The success of its LCV range means Vauxhall was the third best-selling brand in the overall van market in 2023, with 34,632 vans sold - a 24.8% increase (6,895) over 2022 in a market that was up by 21%.

James Taylor, managing director for Vauxhall, said: “It’s a fantastic achievement to be the UK’s best-selling e-LCV manufacturer for the third year running, demonstrating our long-standing commitment to electrifying Britain’s businesses.

"With the award-winning Vivaro Electric continuing to be the leader in electric van sales and Vauxhall accounting for more than one in four electric vans sold in the UK in 2023, it’s clear that we are the brand of choice for van drivers looking to go electric.”

Vauxhall and sister brands Peugeot, Citroën and Fiat are currently the only mainstream automotive brands to produce vans in Britain. The Stellantis factory in Luton continues to manufacture the Vauxhall Vivaro and its sister models.