EU new commercial vehicle market slumps in Q1 2025

The European Union’s commercial vehicle market endured a difficult first quarter of 2025, with new registrations sharply declining across key segments, according to the latest data released by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA). Sluggish economic growth, weak prior order intake, and regulatory uncertainty were cited as major headwinds for the industry.

Van market takes a hit

New van registrations in the EU dropped by 12.2% compared to the same period last year, with major markets contributing heavily to the downturn. Italy suffered the largest decline at -15.2%, while both France and Germany posted identical decreases of -10.7%. Spain was a notable outlier, with van registrations rising by 12.6%, providing a rare bright spot in an otherwise gloomy segment.

Truck registrations plummet

The truck market saw an even steeper fall, with new registrations down 16%, totalling 72,941 units. Heavy-truck sales, in particular, plunged by 16.6%, while medium-truck registrations declined 12.5%. All major EU markets recorded losses, led by Germany (-25.4%) and France (-17.6%), while Spain (-12.8%) and Italy (-9.4%) also contributed to the sector’s downturn.

Bus sales slip slightly

The EU bus segment experienced a modest decline of 1.8%, with 8,674 units registered in Q1 2025. Germany saw the most significant drop at -15%, followed by Italy (-7.3%) and Spain (-0.5%). France remained relatively stable with a 0.1% increase. However, some smaller markets saw explosive growth—Sweden (+189.9%) and Greece (+187.6%)—mainly due to large-scale electrification projects.

Powertrain trends: electric gains ground

Despite overall sales declines, the transition to cleaner vehicles gained momentum:

• Vans: Diesel remained dominant, accounting for 82.5% of new sales, though volumes fell 14%. Electrically-chargeable vans surged 32.6%, now making up 8.7% of the market—up from 5.7% a year ago. Hybrid van sales were largely flat at +0.7%.
• Trucks: Diesel trucks comprised 93.4% of the market, even as registrations fell 17.7%. Electrically-chargeable trucks posted strong growth of 50.6%, taking a 3.5% market share. The Netherlands was a standout performer, with a staggering 342.7% increase, representing a quarter of all electric truck sales in the EU.
• Buses: Electrically-chargeable bus registrations jumped 50.3%, with their market share growing to 19.9%. Germany led in volume (+118.9%), while Sweden’s numbers soared from 9 units in Q1 2024 to 237 this year. In contrast, hybrid bus sales dropped 28.7%, and diesel buses slipped 5.6%, now representing 65.9% of the market.