The Volkswagen Transporter is now available with a 2.0-litre TSI petrol engine with 150 PS or 204 PS power ratings.

I’ve written quite a bit about how petrol and electric power plants can be a more suitable choice than diesel engines for van owners with urban or low-mileage operations.

Figures released today by automotive data specialist cap hpi suggests that petrol is currently winning the race. Steve Botfield, Senior Editor Commercial Vehicles & Motorcycles, said:

“EV shows a YOY growth from 2016 but petrol registrations in this sector have already overtaken the whole of last year’s numbers.

This is not surprising. A number of manufacturers — notably Volkswagen — have increased the choice and marketing of petrol-engined vans over the last year. And while electric models can make very good sense, the reality is that they are still unknown and more limited in scope.

Would-be electric van buyers may be especially concerned about resale value, which is still largely unknown.

Diesel vans remain the only sensible choice for many operators. This is reflected in sales figures, according to Steve Botfield:

Interest in alternative fuelled vehicles within the LCV sector is mainly limited to the small van sector, with both electric and petrol increasing their market share. All other sectors however rely on diesel being the fuel of choice based on pure economy.

Looking at the LCV market as a whole, cap hpi expects new registrations in 2017 to fall by around 5% compared to 2016. If this forecast is correct, it will be the first year since 2010 that LCV registrations have fallen.

We track used van prices and new LCV registration data using data issued by the SMMT and leading auction firms. Follow the vanrental.co.uk blog for regular updates on the state of the used van market.