EU Commercial Vehicle Registrations Up 3.3% in May

Commercial vehicle registrations in the European Union rose 3.3% in May, with vehicle demand sustained by vans and buses, while truck sales declined, the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) said.

Commercial vehicle registrations were at 212,222 units in the EU in May, which was bolstered by growth in the Spanish and French markets, growing by 8.4% and 2.1%, respectively, according to a release from ACEA. Other European markets remained stable. So far this year, EU demand for new commercial vehicles increased by 4.1%, with positive figures for four out of five months.

In May, light commercial vehicle registrations grew by 4.3%, and all major markets performed well, with the exception of Italy. Overall, 176,545 new vans were registered across the EU in May. Meanwhile, demand for new vans in the first five months of 2018 also rose by 4.3%. Growth was posted in Spain (11.7%), France (5.3%), Germany (4.8%) and Italy (1.1%).

Registrations for new medium and heavy commercial vehicles declined 2.2% in May, with 32,170 new trucks being registered in the EU. The largest declines occurred in the U.K. (down 14.4%) and Germany (down 6.5%), though it did grow in other markets, including Italy (15%). Conversely, demand for the segment rose 3.5%, and was strongest in Italy (15%), Spain (9.2%), and France (7.9%). However, demand during these months was down for the U.K. and Germany.