EU Commercial Vehicle Market: Electric Powertrains Gain Market Share in the First Three Quarters of 2026

Image: Daimler Truck (illustrative)

The EU commercial vehicle market showed mixed performance in the first three quarters of 2026 amid rising energy prices. While new registrations for light commercial vehicles remained largely stagnant at 1,073,427 units, truck registrations increased by 7.5 percent to 245,079 vehicles, as this segment recovered from a low starting point. The bus market experienced growth of 15.2 percent, with 32,695 new registrations. Electrically rechargeable commercial vehicles gained market share.

In the segment of light commercial vehicles, new registrations in Spain rose by 6.9 percent, while Germany saw a decline of -4.1 percent, Italy by -5.1 percent, and France by -5.6 percent. Diesel remained the preferred propulsion type with 838,830 registrations, despite a 4.3 percent decline, its market share dropping from 81.7 percent to 78.1 percent. Electrically rechargeable vans saw a 38.2 percent increase, raising their market share from 10.2 percent to 14.1 percent. Gasoline models lost 19.8 percent, accounting for 3.7 percent of the market, while hybrid vans increased by 35.6 percent to account for 3.4 percent of the market.

In the truck segment, new registrations of heavy vehicles increased by 8.5 percent, while those of medium-heavy models rose by 2.5 percent. Growth was particularly significant in Poland (+20.5%) and Spain (+13.2%), whereas Germany recorded a 2.5 percent increase and France saw a 1.6 percent decline. Diesel trucks dominated with a market share of 91.7 percent and a 6.6 percent increase in registrations, while electrically rechargeable trucks saw a 49.8 percent rise and reached a market share of 5.3 percent. Germany (+77.2%), France (+60.2%), and the Netherlands (+57.5%) experienced strong growth in electrically rechargeable trucks, accounting for 74 percent of EU new registrations in this category.

In the bus sector, Italy experienced the strongest registration growth at 34.4% among the largest EU markets, followed by France (+10.5%) and Germany (+10.1%). Italy was also the largest bus market in the EU, with registrations of electric buses more than doubling. Across the EU, new registrations of electric buses rose by 37.6%, increasing their market share from 22.1% to 26.4%. Diesel buses also saw an increase in registrations of 5%, reaching a market share of 58.4%. Hybrid electric buses grew by 24%, accounting for a market share of 6.9%.

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About the author

Thomas Langenbucher is an expert in electromobility with professional experience in the automotive industry and finance sector. Since 2011, he has been covering electric vehicles, sustainable technologies, and mobility solutions for ecomento.de. Learn more.

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