New figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) reveal that the UK’s heavy goods vehicle (HGV) market shrank by 11.2% in the second quarter of 2025, with just 10,185 new registrations recorded. Tractor units, which continue to account for more than 40% of the sector, slipped by 8.1% to 4,295 vehicles. However, the sharpest fall was seen in box vans, which plummeted by 33.1% to only 905 registrations. Demand also weakened for tippers and curtainsiders, down 19.6% and 24.2% respectively.

One notable exception was refuse collection vehicles, which bucked the trend with an 11.4% rise, reaching 614 units. While overall volumes declined, zero-emission trucks saw significant growth, with 183 new models registered in the first six months of 2025. This marks a 59.1% increase compared with the same period last year, although they still represent less than 1% of the total market share.

Mike Hawes, SMMT chief executive, said the latest decline was expected as the market “normalises” but warned that a recovery was urgently needed given the sector’s importance to the UK economy. He welcomed new government funding for depot infrastructure but stressed that energy grid reform was vital to support operators investing in electric fleets.

The SMMT has urged policymakers to prioritise depot grid connections in the same way as data centres and renewable energy projects. The organisation argues that a long-term strategy for HGV charging infrastructure will be essential to support operators and encourage greater adoption of zero-emission vehicles.