Promising growth in commercial vehicle sales across Europe

ACEA (the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association) has released figures that show that in the first half of 2023, new EU van sales increased by 11.6% to 725,418 units as supply chain issues eased. And battery-electric truck sales surged by over 350%. 

Spain and Germany substantially contributed to the increase as van sales rose by 26.6% and 15.5%, respectively. Sales in France also increased modestly by 3.6%, totalling 189,948 units. New EU truck registrations recorded a significant increase of 20%, totalling 179,508 units. 

Almost all EU markets saw double-digit percentage gains, including the four largest: Germany (+24.8%), France (+12.3%), Italy (+12.6%), and Poland (+10.8%). New EU bus registrations had a solid first half of 2023, as sales rose 15% to 14,781 units. France led the way with 2,982 units sold, representing a 22.3% increase in sales volumes. Other significant markets also reported substantial growth: Italy (+62.6%), Spain (+58.7%), and Germany (+27.8%).

Diesel dominance persists

In the first half of 2023, diesel remained the top choice powertrain for vans, accounting for 83.4%, lower than the 87% share in 2022. However, alternative powertrains are gradually gaining popularity, resulting in a modest shift in market share. Notably, the share of electrically chargeable vans increased to 7%. This represents a two-fold increase (+100.4%), totalling 50,708 units, primarily driven by triple-digit growth in the first and third largest markets: France (+118.9%) and Spain (+138%). 

In contrast, hybrid-electric van registrations declined by 7.2% to 16,602 units, representing a 2.3% share. Other fuel types, such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and natural gas, increased by 26.5% and now represent 1.3% of the market. 

Diesel also dominated the truck market in Europe in H1 2023, accounting for 95.6% of new truck registrations. Notably, there was a 19.2% increase in diesel truck sales, with several member states reporting double-digit gains, including Germany (+23.7%). 

Electric trucks gaining ground

Battery-electric truck sales surged by 351.5%, reaching 2,384 units, but despite this, BEV trucks represent only 1.3% market share. 

EU sales of new electrically chargeable buses increased by 33.9% to reach 2,132 units, representing a market share of 14.4% in the first half of 2023, compared to 12.4% in 2022. Among the bloc’s three largest markets, Spain grew impressively by 755.9%, followed by France (+89.9%) and Germany (+18.1%). 

All aboard the bus

Hybrid-electric buses maintained momentum (sales up 160.5%), with market share more than doubling compared to the first half of 2022 (from 6.2% to 14%). Significant growth in the second and third largest markets, France (+886%) and Spain (+180.3%) contributed to this result. Together with Germany, France and Spain account for 82.4% of all EU hybrid bus registrations. Despite the shift to electric and hybrid models, diesel buses still retain the largest market share at 63%.

Commercial fleets have always been crucial to Europe’s economy. And now we have e-commerce, further boosting their importance. If you’re looking for guidance on trends reshaping Commercial Fleet and LCV Management, we are hosting the LCV Expert Day on 28th September. 

Images: ACEA