The latest figures from the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) reveals a mixed year for commercial vehicle registrations across the European Union in 2024. While van registrations grew by 8.3%, truck sales declined by 6.3%.
Among truck markets, Spain stood out with a remarkable 12% growth, bucking the trend of declines in Germany (-6.9%), France (-2.9%), and Italy (-0.7%).
Vans lead the way with an 8.3% increase
New EU van registrations rose by 8.3% in 2024, reaching 1,586,688 units. Spain led this growth with a 13.7% increase, followed by Germany (+8.4%), France (+1.1%), and Italy (+0.9%).
Diesel vans dominated the segment, with registrations increasing by 10.5% to 1,340,003 units, representing 84.5% of the market, an increase of 1.7 percentage points compared to 2023.
Petrol van registrations saw a modest 3% rise, stabilizing at a 6% market share. Conversely, electrically chargeable van sales declined sharply by 9.1%, reducing their market share from 7.2% to 6.1%.
Hybrid-electric van registrations also fell by 4.8%, representing just 2% of the market.
Truck registrations fall by 6.3%
The EU truck market contracted in 2024, with total registrations decreasing by 6.3% to 327,896 units. This was primarily driven by an 8.5% drop in heavy truck sales, partially offset by a 5.6% increase in medium truck registrations.
Among the major EU markets, Spain stood out with a 12% increase in truck registrations, while Germany (-6.9%), France (-2.9%), and Italy (-0.7%) saw declines.
The five countries with the highest number of truck registrations in 2024 were:
- Germany – 69,455 units
- France – 54,170 units
- Poland – 36,206 units
- Italy – 26,998 units
- Spain – 26,560 units
These five markets accounted for a significant proportion of overall EU truck registrations, underscoring their importance to the region’s commercial vehicle sector.
Electrically chargeable and “other” truck registrations
Electrically chargeable truck registrations in the EU declined by 4.6% in 2024, maintaining a market share of 2.3%. However, this category experienced contrasting results across member states. Germany (+57.4%), Italy (+115.2%), and Sweden (+59.6%) recorded substantial growth in electrically chargeable truck sales. Conversely, sales plummeted in France (-57.4%) and the Netherlands (-42.3%), significantly dampening overall growth in this segment.
Registrations of trucks powered by “other” energy sources—such as natural gas or alternative fuels—fell sharply by 27.2% across the EU, with their market share shrinking to 2.6% from 3.3% in 2023. This decline reflects broader challenges in transitioning to alternative fuel options in the commercial vehicle sector.