Van & truck registrations up across Europe

According to figures published by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), Registrations of vans and trucks grew both in the UK and the EU during the first quarter of 2023, but the EU-wide increase seen in bus registrations was absent in our market.

Vans

New van registrations in the EU rose 7.7 per cent to 355,553 units in Q1 2023, mainly due to last year’s low basis for comparison. Registrations increased 17.1 per cent year-on-year in the UK, to 87,432 units. New UK registrations of full and hybrid electric vans were markedly below this figure, with registrations for electrically chargeable vans rising just 5.5 per cent to 5,046 units. Precisely zero hybrid electric vans were registered in the UK during the first quarter of the year.

Medium & heavy trucks

Diesel trucks remained the top choice for buyers in the UK and EU, respectively representing 95.4 per cent and 96.1 per cent of all Q1 2023 new registrations. New truck registrations increased 18.2 per cent year-on-year in the UK, to 12,693 units, and by 19.4 per cent in the EU, to 86,455 units. UK registrations of electrically chargeable trucks jumped 434.3 per cent year-on-year, to 358 units, and no hybrid electric trucks were registered.

Medium & heavy buses

New registrations of medium and heavy buses dropped -20.0 per cent year-on-year in the UK in Q1 2023, to 1,069 units. This contrasted heavily with registrations in the EU, which rose 15.5 per cent year-on-year to 7,309 units. UK registration figures for electrically chargeable buses fell in line with the overall trend, declining -14.8 per cent to 277 units. Registrations for hybrid electric buses plummeted -100 per cent to zero units.