New data from the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) reveal a sharp contrast in commercial vehicle sales across the EU: while registrations of vans, trucks and buses have grown, the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) has lagged significantly.

From January to September 2024, EU van sales surged by 8.5%, totalling 1,170,310 units. This growth was led by Spain, which reported an impressive 16.7% increase, followed by Germany, Italy, and France. Diesel-powered vans dominated the market, representing 84.6% of all sales, with diesel registrations up 10.6%. Petrol vans also saw a modest increase, securing a 6.1% market share.

However, ACEA's data highlight a sharp decline in the adoption of electrically chargeable vans, with registrations plummeting by 12.8% compared to the same period last year. Electric vans now account for just 5.7% of total sales, a drop from last year’s 7.1% share. Hybrid-electric vans faced a similar downturn, declining by 4.3% and holding a mere 2% market share.

In the truck segment, diesel vehicles maintained a stronghold at 95.3% of new registrations despite a slight decline. Electrically chargeable truck registrations declined by 6.6%, with market share stable compared to last year at 2.2%. Results for electrically chargeable models across countries were mixed: while the German (+56.8%) and the Danish (+22.3%) markets grew, they could not offset the declines in France (-58.4%) and the Netherlands (-52.7%).

The report offers a mixed view for electrically chargeable buses, where demand rose by 28.7%, raising their market share from 14.3% to 15.9%. Germany led in volume, with Italy marking a 72.9% surge, though France’s bus market contracted by 10.8%. Meanwhile, sales of hybrid-electric buses fell by 13.2% and now represent a market share of 9.5%. Diesel bus registrations grew by 19.4%, increasing their market share to 66.6%, 1.9% more than in the same period of the previous year.

ACEA’s findings underscore the EU's ongoing struggle to accelerate the shift towards electric commercial vehicles. Despite targeted growth in certain segments and regional markets, the overall trend reveals a pressing need for broader incentives and infrastructure development to support EV adoption across the continent.