Electric vans make their first appearance in latest desirability index

Two electric vans have featured in auction company Aston Barclay’s LCV desirability index. This is the first time that they have appeared in the in September report.

Top of the pile was the Ford E-Transit, with a score of 11.2, followed by the Toyota Hilux which managed a score of 10.1 in the index.

A suprising new addition was the Maxus eDeliver 5 which appeared in eighth place, making it two battery electric vans in inside the top ten.

Ford dominated the September index with five LCVs on the list. A total of four Ford vans and one pick up made the cut, with medium and large panel vans making up the lion’s share of the table.

Four pick-up trucks also appeared in the top 15 of the Index which included the Isuzu D-Max, Ford Ranger and Nissan Navara, as well as the most desireable Toyota Hilux at number two.

The used LCV stock mix remains diverse as reported by Aston Barclay in the summer. It includes many different models that are desirable due to their value in the current market. That shows that buyers aren't chasing the most fashionable makes and models, but choosing based on price.

The report also notes that August and September LCV demand and prices have improved and are back to pre-Covid levels. This is apparently another reason why SMEs have started to replace their current vehicle or expand their fleet.

“The used LCV market sprang into life this summer when traditionally it is quiet, injecting real confidence into the market.  We are seeing strong competition for LCVs, with many buyers snapping up vehicles in large batches. Electric vans look very good value now and for operators who work in a lower mileage back-to-base environment they represent an attractive option,” explained Nick Thompson, Aston Barclay’s chief customer officer. 

The desirability index takes into account three key metrics - web views prior to sale, number of physical and online sale bids, and sale price achieved as a percentage of CAP average.