In the first quarter of 2023, new van registrations in the EU saw a notable increase of 7.7% to 355,553 units, mainly due to last year’s low basis for comparison.
European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association Reports Vehicle Sales Up in Q1
Spain recorded a substantial growth of 31.2%, reaching 34,200 units. Germany and Italy saw more modest increases (+9.2% and +7%, respectively). In contrast, France recorded a decline of 3% but still represented the highest registration volumes at 87,842 units.
The first quarter also saw a significant increase in new truck sales in the EU (+19.4%), reaching 86,455 units. All member states except Denmark (-8.9%) recorded substantial growth, including the four largest markets: Germany (+20.9%), France (+12.4%), Poland (+19.1%), and Italy (+9.5%).
New medium and heavy buses increased by 15.5% to 7,309 units during the first quarter of 2023. France had the highest volumes, with 24,107 units, noting a gain of 23.5%. Other major markets reported sizeable gains, including Spain (+68.7%), Italy (+64.1%), and Germany (+16.2%).
In the first quarter of 2023, diesel continued to dominate the EU van market, representing 84.5% of the total. Although diesel van registrations increased by 4.5%, the market share is down from 87.2% in 2022. This result was mainly sustained by three of the bloc’s largest markets: Spain (+28.2%), Italy (+12.2%), and Germany (+7%). Electrically chargeable vans saw the strongest growth of all fuel types (+77%), with 259,449 units. Electric vans now account for 6.2% of all EU van registrations, up from 3.8% compared to the same period last year.
Diesel trucks remained the top choice for buyers in the EU, representing 96.1% of all new registrations in the first quarter of 2023. New diesel truck registrations increased by 19.4%, with most member states reporting double- or triple-digit gains. Having recorded a remarkable 408.5% growth, electrically chargeable vehicles now represent 1.1% of all EU trucks, with 939 units.
Electric buses lead the drive to non-fossil fuelled transport. The sales of new electrically chargeable buses in the EU increased by 47.1% to reach 1,053 units, capturing a market share of 14.4% in the first quarter of 2023. The first and third largest markets, France and Spain, recorded triple-digit growth (+136.7% and +491.3%, respectively).
Hybrid electric buses also gained ground (sales up 146.9%), with market share climbing from 6.8% to 14.5% compared to the first quarter of 2022. This result was mainly influenced by impressive growth in France (+1,255%) and notable gains in Germany (+42.4%), which together account for more than half of all hybrid buses registered in the EU. Nevertheless, despite the shift to hybrid models, diesel buses still retain the largest market share at 61%.
