Gross sales of latest vans within the UK got here near document ranges in the course of the first six months of 2021 resulting from a growth in house deliveries and the financial system reopening.

However registrations of latest automobiles remained sluggish, with a scarcity of laptop chips limiting provides of some fashions.

The Society of Motor Producers and Merchants, which launched the info, mentioned the trade was now battling towards a “lengthy Covid” of provide issues.

This might prohibit the UK automotive trade’s restoration, the SMMT mentioned.

Demand for electrical automobiles, which remained comparatively sturdy by the pandemic, has continued to rise. In June, they accounted for multiple in each 10 automobiles offered.

Previous to the pandemic, demand for brand spanking new vans was already very sturdy – in 2019, gross sales within the first six months of the 12 months had been the very best on document.

Trade consultants say this was largely because of the speedy development of on-line buying and residential deliveries, in addition to the introduction of so-called “clear air zones” in a number of cities, which prompted companies to spend money on new autos.

Inevitably, momentum was misplaced in the course of the lockdown final 12 months, and gross sales fell by 20% in contrast with the 12 months earlier than. However, the hovering reputation of house supply companies meant the vans enterprise suffered much less severely than different elements of the auto trade.

Now, with the financial system reopening, demand is robust as soon as once more. Within the first six months of the 12 months greater than 191,500 had been offered, the third highest whole on document.

That occurred regardless of the persevering with scarcity of laptop chips, or semiconductors, which affected manufacturing volumes and deliveries in June, and took a number of the power out of the market.

Automobile gross sales, in the meantime, which stay a lot greater than these of business autos when it comes to total quantity, have did not get better on the identical velocity.

Some 186,000 new automobiles had been registered in June, on the face of it a really important enhance of 28% over the identical interval final 12 months. However the comparability is synthetic; final summer season, showrooms had been solely simply starting to reopen after the primary lockdown, and gross sales had been nonetheless very low.

In comparison with the common over the previous decade, gross sales had been down 16.4% in June and 26.8% for the primary half of the 12 months. Whereas there was a surge in demand from firm fleet patrons specifically, the semiconductor scarcity has affected provides, slowing the restoration.

“With the ultimate phases of the UK’s vaccine rollout nicely underneath means and confidence growing, the automotive sector is now battling towards a ‘lengthy Covid’ of auto provide challenges,” defined Mike Hawes, the chief govt of the SMMT.

“The semiconductor shortages arising from Covid-constrained output globally are affecting car manufacturing, disrupting provide on sure fashions”.

Regardless of the disruption, gross sales of electrical autos have continued to rise quickly. Within the first half the 12 months practically 74,000 new battery powered automobiles had been registered – greater than six occasions the determine from the identical interval in 2019.

In June, multiple in each 10 automobiles offered was electrical, and EVs had a larger share of the market than diesels.

In the meantime, the chip scarcity, which has left some clients going through lengthy waits for his or her new automobiles, has boosted the second-hand automotive market. In actual fact, costs of used automobiles, which often depreciate, have been rising.

“Demand is excessive”, explains Jamie Hamilton, automotive director at Deloitte. “However the restricted availability of latest automobiles signifies that there are even fewer used automobiles coming onto the market. Because of this costs have shot up.

“Sadly, there’s little respite for the trade, with the semi-conductor scarcity anticipated to proceed inflicting points all year long, and perhaps even into 2022”.