Despite a general decline in new registrations, the European commercial vehicle market signals a structural shift in the first quarter of 2025: Electric drives are gaining importance in all segments. The growth was particularly strong in electrically powered buses and trucks, while traditional drives such as diesel and gasoline recorded double-digit declines in some cases.
Electric buses: Market share at a record level
In the bus segment, the trend is particularly evident: While the overall market shrank slightly by 1.8 percent, electrically powered buses increased by 50.3 percent. Their
market share rose to 19.9 percent – up from 13 percent in the previous year. Germany, the largest market by volume, nearly doubled its E-bus registrations, while Sweden saw an increase from 9 to 237 vehicles.
Electric trucks: Increase of over 50 percent
Electric models are also gaining ground in the truck segment. While the overall truck market in the EU shrank by 16 percent, the E-truck segment grew by 50.6 percent. The market share reached 3.5 percent, driven primarily by developments in the Netherlands, which with an increase
of 342.7 percent accounted for a quarter of all E-truck new registrations in the EU.
Electric vans catch up – despite shrinking overall market
New registrations of light commercial vehicles (vans) decreased by 12.2 percent. Electric vans were able to buck this trend, increasing by 32.6 percent. Their market share rose from 5.7 percent in the previous year's quarter to 8.7 percent now. Diesel remains dominant at 82.5 percent but continues to lose significance.
Decline in traditional drives
The shift towards alternative drives is accompanied by a decline in
traditional technologies. Diesel sales dropped by 14 percent for vans, 17.7 percent for trucks, and 5.6 percent for buses. Hybrid vehicles also showed a downward trend – particularly in the bus sector with a decrease of 28.7 percent.
Conclusion: Change despite market weakness
The European commercial vehicle market is on the brink of transformation: While overall registrations are declining, alternative drives – especially fully electric vehicles – are rapidly gaining importance. The expansion of charging infrastructure and regulatory frameworks will likely be decisive in whether this trend continues to
