Electric vans and trucks continue to grow as EU commercial vehicle market recovers
Europe's commercial vehicle market returned to growth in the first half of 2026, according to ACEA. While truck registrations increased by 9.8%, battery-electric vans and trucks continued to expand their presence, highlighting the gradual but ongoing shift towards zero-emission transport.
Europe’s commercial vehicle market posted a positive performance in the first half of 2026 (here’s our article about the first 3 months of the year), with registrations of both vans and trucks increasing despite a challenging economic and geopolitical environment. According to the latest figures released by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), the strongest growth came from the truck segment, while battery-electric vehicles continued to strengthen their position across both light and heavy commercial vehicles.
New van registrations in the European Union reached more than 742,000 units, up 1.9% compared with the first half of 2025. Truck registrations rose by 9.8%, reflecting a recovery from last year’s weaker market and stronger demand in several Central and Eastern European countries.
Battery-electric vehicles continue to expand
The most notable trend remains the gradual growth of zero-emission commercial vehicles. Battery-electric vans continued to gain market share during the first six months of the year, supported by expanding model availability and increasing fleet adoption. Electric truck registrations also improved year on year, although they still account for a relatively small share of the overall heavy-duty market, where diesel remains the dominant technology.
The figures confirm that electrification is progressing at different speeds across vehicle categories. Adoption is advancing more rapidly in the light commercial vehicle segment, while the transition in heavy-duty transport continues to depend on charging infrastructure, vehicle availability and operators’ total cost of ownership.
Truck market shows solid recovery
Beyond electrification, the overall truck market delivered a strong first-half performance. ACEA reports that registrations increased by 9.8% across the European Union, with growth driven by several markets, including Poland and Spain. Among the four largest EU markets, Spain was the only one to record overall growth across the commercial vehicle sector, while Germany, France and Italy remained below last year’s levels.
The results suggest that demand for commercial vehicles is recovering after a weaker 2025, although market conditions continue to vary significantly between countries and vehicle segments.
