The European Union’s commercial vehicle market recorded positive growth during the first half of 2026, with registrations of vans, trucks and buses increasing despite ongoing geopolitical challenges. Electrically chargeable commercial vehicles continued to expand their market presence, although industry adoption remains below the pace required to meet the bloc’s decarbonisation objectives.
According to the latest market data, new EU van registrations rose 1.9% year-on-year to 742,759 units. Growth across the region’s largest markets remained mixed, with Spain recording a 7.9% increase, while registrations declined in Germany (-4.6%), Italy (-4.7%) and France (-2.1%).
The truck segment delivered stronger growth, with registrations increasing 9.8% to 171,933 units. Demand for heavy trucks grew 11.1%, while medium-duty truck registrations increased 2.8%. Poland (+25.9%) and Spain (+13.2%) recorded the highest growth among major markets, with Germany (+7.1%) also contributing to the expansion. The French truck market remained largely unchanged compared with the first half of 2025.
The EU bus market recorded the strongest performance, with registrations climbing 22.7% to 22,590 units. Italy led growth among the largest markets with a 51.6% increase, followed by Germany and France, each reporting 21.6% growth. While Spain registered an 8.5% decline, Poland posted a 78% increase, becoming the European Union’s fourth-largest bus market.
Electrically Chargeable Vehicles Continue to Expand
Electrically chargeable vehicles continued to gain market share across all commercial vehicle segments.
In the van segment, electrically chargeable models recorded 41.6% growth, increasing their market share from 9.5% in H1 2025 to 13.2%. Diesel remained the dominant powertrain despite registrations declining 1.8%, accounting for 79.1% of new van sales. Hybrid van registrations increased 31.7%, while petrol-powered vans continued to lose market share.
In the truck market, diesel-powered vehicles retained a dominant 92.1% market share. However, registrations of electrically chargeable trucks surged 47.7%, raising their market share from 3.6% to 4.8%. Growth was primarily driven by Germany (+88.5%), the Netherlands (+44.5%) and France (+43.7%), which together accounted for nearly three-quarters of all electric truck registrations across the European Union.
The bus segment experienced the fastest transition towards electrification. Registrations of electrically chargeable buses increased 56.8%, expanding their market share from 21.6% to 27.7%. Italy led the growth, with electric bus registrations more than quadrupling during the period. Diesel buses continued to account for the majority of registrations with a 58.2% market share, while hybrid-electric buses grew 10.7%, representing 6.1% of the market.
Despite the continued growth of electrically chargeable commercial vehicles, market penetration remains below the level required to accelerate Europe’s clean transport transition. Industry stakeholders continue to highlight the need for improved charging infrastructure, supportive policy measures and stronger market incentives, particularly for medium- and heavy-duty commercial vehicles.
