In 2025, Europe registered nearly 24,000 electric trucks and buses, marking a 60% year-on-year increase. The share of electric vehicles in sales reached 4.5% for trucks and 25% for buses, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT).
From a freight transport perspective, what matters most is what happened in two key segments: medium-duty (3.5–12 t) and heavy-duty (over 12 t).
The biggest jump in the 3.5–12 t segment
In the 3.5–12-ton range, the pace of electrification was the highest in 2025. The share of zero-emission vehicle sales in this group nearly doubled – from 10% in 2024 to 21% in 2025.
ICCT notes that growth was driven primarily by heavy vans: they accounted for more than half of sales in 2025, while medium-duty trucks had only a 3% share. Over a three-year period, zero-emission sales in this category increased tenfold.
Northern Europe stood out: in the last quarter of 2025, the highest sales shares were recorded by the Netherlands (72%), Sweden (63%) and Denmark (66%).
CO2 standards for trucks have started to “pull” the market
The second important signal for the industry is the heavy-duty segment above 12 tons. ICCT reports a clear acceleration in the second half of 2025: the sales share of heavy zero-emission vehicles rose to 2.7% in the fourth quarter of 2025, up from 1.5% a year earlier.
The turning point was expected to be the entry into force of the first EU CO2 standards for trucks – from 1 July 2025. The rules require a 15% reduction in CO2 emissions from new 4×2 and 6×2 trucks over 16 tons compared with the 2019 baseline.
According to the organisation’s data, the number of registrations of zero-emission trucks covered by these standards increased in 2025 by 52.5% compared with 2024.
Who’s growing fastest: Mercedes ahead of rivals
Among manufacturers, Mercedes stands out the most. ICCT points out that the brand, which initially “fell short” of its CO2 targets, improved its results thanks to the eActros: sales of this model tripled in the second half of 2025, and the manufacturer sold a total of 1,400 heavy zero-emission vehicles, becoming the clear leader in the EU.
By comparison, Renault Trucks had about a 3% zero-emission share in its mix, Volvo Trucks around 2%, and the other major players remained below 1%.
Europe is growing, but the world shows the scale
ICCT emphasises that the European market is “consistently” moving toward zero emissions – although the pace varies by segment. At the same time, the organisation cites China, where in 2025 sales of heavy zero-emission trucks exceeded 450,000 units, translating into a 25% market share.
In the view of Felipe Rodriguez from ICCT, maintaining the pace – supported by EU CO2 standards – is crucial for heavy zero-emission trucks to move beyond the pilot phase and become a mass-market solution.
