Registrations of new heavy goods vehicles in the UK rose 7.2% to 9,941 units in the third quarter of 2026, according to SMMT.
It was the strongest quarterly performance since Q3 2023 and the first increase since Q2 2024. The comparison follows a 14.5% fall in the same period last year, and the market remains 3.8% lower year to date.
Articulated truck registrations increased 11.2%, rigid vehicles rose 4.1% and tractor registrations grew 12.3%.
Registrations of zero emission HGVs fell 50.7% during the quarter, leaving these vehicles with a 1.1% market share. Year-to-date demand is down 30.9%.
SMMT said the drop demonstrates the need for continued incentives to support zero-emission HGV uptake, building on programmes such as the now concluded ZEHID. It said existing measures, including the Plug-in Truck Grant and Depot Charging Scheme, are valuable foundations, but support must match the scale and complexity of the challenge.
It added that the higher upfront cost of zero-emission vehicles, investment in depot charging infrastructure and uncertainty over access to reliable infrastructure all affect purchasing decisions, and that a clear national infrastructure strategy would give operators greater confidence that vehicles can be charged or refuelled wherever their work takes them.
