Registrations of electrically-chargeable commercial vehicles continued to increase across the European Union during the first nine months of 2026, with year-on-year growth in trucks, vans and buses, according to figures released on October 28 by the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA).

Between January and September, electrically-chargeable truck registrations increased by 49.8%, while vans recorded growth of 38.2% and buses rose by 37.6%, compared with the same period in 2025.

These figures contrast with the performance of the overall commercial vehicle market, where total truck registrations increased by 7.5%, bus registrations grew by 15.2%, and van registrations remained broadly unchanged.

Although electrically-chargeable vehicles gained market share across all three categories, ACEA warned that their uptake remains below the pace required to meet the transport sector's transition objectives.

Electrically-chargeable buses reach 26.4% of the EU market

The bus segment recorded a 37.6% increase in electrically-chargeable registrations, raising its market share from 22.1% in the first nine months of 2025 to 26.4% in 2026.

This means that approximately one in four newly registered buses in the European Union during the period belonged to this category.

Italy led the segment's growth, with registrations of electrically-chargeable buses more than doubling compared with the same period a year earlier.

Across the overall bus market, registrations increased by 15.2%, reaching 32,695 units during the first nine months of the year.

Italy recorded growth of 34.4%, followed by France at 10.5%, Germany at 10.1% and Spain at 1.3%. Poland posted an increase of 68.6%, becoming the EU's fifth-largest bus market.

Despite the expansion of electrification, diesel buses continued to account for 58.4% of new registrations, with a year-on-year increase of 5%.

Meanwhile, non-plug-in hybrid-electric bus registrations rose by 24%, reaching a 6.9% market share.

Electrically-chargeable truck registrations increase by 49.8%

In freight transport, electrically-chargeable truck registrations increased by 49.8% between January and September 2026, securing a 5.3% share of the EU market.

Germany, France and the Netherlands drove this growth, recording increases of 77.2%, 60.2% and 57.5%, respectively.

Together, these three countries accounted for 74% of all electrically-chargeable truck registrations in the European Union.

However, diesel remained the dominant powertrain in the segment, representing 91.7% of new truck registrations, with year-on-year growth of 6.6%.

Overall, the EU truck market recorded 245,079 registrations, an increase of 7.5% compared with the same period in 2025.

By vehicle category, heavy-truck registrations grew by 8.5%, while medium-truck registrations increased by 2.5%.

Among national markets, Poland recorded growth of 20.5%, Spain increased by 13.2% and Germany by 2.5%. France, meanwhile, registered a decline of 1.6%.

Electrically-chargeable vans increase their market share to 14.1%

Electrically-chargeable vans also recorded growth, with registrations increasing by 38.2% year-on-year, raising their market share from 10.2% to 14.1%.

This expansion took place against a backdrop of stability in the overall EU van market, which recorded 1,073,427 new registrations between January and September 2026.

Among conventional powertrains, diesel van registrations declined by 4.3% to 838,830 units, reducing their market share from 81.7% to 78.1%.

Petrol-powered models fell by 19.8%, accounting for 3.7% of the market.

Meanwhile, non-plug-in hybrid-electric van registrations increased by 35.6%, although their market share remained at 3.4%.

At the national level, Spain was the only one of the EU's four largest van markets to record growth, with registrations increasing by 6.9%.

Germany reported a decline of 4.1%, Italy fell by 5.1% and France decreased by 5.6%.

Electrification gains ground, but diesel retains the largest market share

ACEA's figures highlight differences in electrification across the three commercial vehicle categories.

Buses recorded the highest share of electrically-chargeable vehicles at 26.4%, followed by vans at 14.1% and trucks at 5.3%.

However, trucks registered the strongest percentage growth in electrically-chargeable registrations, increasing by 49.8%.

The association noted that, despite these gains, the adoption of electrically-chargeable commercial vehicles remains below the pace required.

The data also show that diesel continues to account for the majority of registrations across all three segments, with market shares of 91.7% for trucks, 78.1% for vans and 58.4% for buses.

The coming quarters will show whether growth in electrically-chargeable vehicle registrations translates into a further reduction in diesel's share of the European commercial vehicle market.

Source: ACEA