According to ACEA, The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, the European commercial vehicle market started 2026 on a positive note, with growth in the van and truck segments reflecting a recovery from a low base. Meanwhile, the overall share of electrically chargeable vehicles is rising, but progress remains too slow, with market uptake still constrained by insufficient enabling conditions.
New EU van sales grew by 2.3%, with mixed results across the four largest markets. Spain recorded the strongest increase (+13%), followed by France (+3.7%). Conversely, Germany and Italy saw declines of 9% and 1.7%, respectively.
New EU truck registrations also increased by 10.7%, totalling 81,766 units. This growth was predominantly driven by a 12.6% surge in heavy truck sales, alongside a more modest 0.7% increase in medium truck registrations. Among the major markets, Poland (+32.8%) and Spain (+17.1%) posted double digit gains, followed by Germany (+6.9%). In contrast, France experienced a decline of 1.4% compared to Q1 2025.
Diesel remains the preferred choice for new van buyers in the EU, although registrations declined (-0.8%) to 288,484 units, bringing its market share down to 80% (from 82.5% in Q1 2025). Electrically chargeable vans grew by 42%, capturing 12% market share, an increase from 8.7% in the first quarter of 2025. Petrol models decreased by 27.1%, reducing their market share to 3.7% (down from 5.2%). Hybrid van registrations also rose by 42.1%. However, they only accounted for a 3.5% of the EU market.
Diesel maintained its dominance in the truck market in the first quarter of 2026. Diesel trucks accounted for 92.4% of new EU registrations, up 11%. Electrically chargeable trucks grew by 40.1%, securing 4.4% of the market (from 3.5% last year). France (+66.3%) and Germany (+58.9%) led this expansion, whereas the Netherlands (-1.3%) saw a decline. Together, these markets represented 71% of total registrations for this segment.
https://couriernews.co.uk/blog/new-commercial-vehicle-registrations-rise/