EU commercial vehicle registrations rise in H1 2026 as electric models lag targets
EU registrations increased across vans, trucks and buses in the first half of 2026, with buses recording the strongest growth. Battery-electric vehicles gained market share, but ACEA said charging, grid access and CO2-based road pricing remain inadequate, particularly for heavy vehicles.
Commercial vehicle market returns to growth
European Union commercial vehicle registrations rose in the first half of 2026 despite geopolitical pressures, according to ANSA, citing the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, or ACEA. Growth in vans and trucks represented a recovery from low levels, while the bus segment expanded much more sharply.
New van registrations increased by 1.9% to 742,759 units. Spain led the expansion among the major markets with growth of 7.9%, but the recovery was uneven: registrations declined by 4.6% in Germany, 4.7% in Italy and 2.1% in France. The figures point to improving aggregate demand without a broad-based rebound across the EU’s largest vehicle markets.
Truck registrations climbed by 9.8% to 171,933 units, supported primarily by an 11.1% increase in heavy trucks. Buses delivered the strongest result, rising by 22.7% to 22,590 units. Italy posted the largest bus-market increase among the major European countries, at 51.6%.
Diesel retains control of vans and trucks
Diesel remained the dominant powertrain for both vans and trucks. It accounted for 79.1% of new van registrations and 92.1% of the truck market during the six-month period. These shares underline the continued dependence of commercial fleets on conventional fuel, particularly in applications where payload, range and operating schedules make charging more difficult.
Battery-electric registrations nevertheless grew across all three categories. Battery vans reached a 13.2% market share after registrations increased by 41.6%. Electric trucks represented 4.8% of the market, with registrations up 47.7%. Electric buses advanced faster, gaining 56.8% and accounting for 27.7% of the segment. ANSA reported that Italy was the leading European market for electric buses.
The difference between vehicle categories is significant for manufacturers, fleet operators and infrastructure investors. Urban buses commonly operate on fixed routes and return to depots, making charging easier to organize. Heavy trucks require more powerful infrastructure, dependable access to the electricity grid and charging arrangements compatible with long-distance freight operations.
Infrastructure gap threatens 2030 trajectory
ACEA commercial vehicles director Thomas Fabian said fewer than one in 40 new heavy vehicles in Europe is currently zero-emission, while the proportion will need to approach one in three by 2030. He also highlighted wide national differences. Zero-emission vehicles account for about 10% of the market in Sweden and the Netherlands, but their share remains close to zero in Italy, Spain and Poland.
According to Fabian, vehicle availability is not the principal constraint. He identified insufficient charging and refuelling infrastructure, access to the electricity grid and road-charging systems based on CO2 emissions as the missing conditions needed to make zero-emission vehicles competitive. For the industry, the first-half data therefore show two distinct trends: commercial vehicle demand is recovering, and electric registrations are growing quickly from a low base, but the heavy-vehicle market is not yet moving at the pace required for the 2030 objective.
