Commercial vehicle registrations in May 2019 continued to increase in the EU (+8.5 per cent), according to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA).

In May 2019, demand for total new commercial vehicle registrations was sustained across all segments, with trucks and buses recording the highest percentage increases. The region’s five largest markets contributed positively to this result. Germany (+24.7 per cent) and France (+12.6 per cent) saw the strongest gains last month.

From January to May 2019, the EU market for commercial vehicles grew by 6.5 per cent, counting 1.1 million new vehicles in total. Germany led this growth with a 14.7 per cent increase, followed by the UK (+7.9 per cent), France (+7.7 per cent), Italy (+3.9 per cent) and Spain (+3.3 per cent).

Last month, EU demand for vans remained positive, up 5.8 per cent compared to one year ago. With the exception of Spain, all major EU markets recorded solid growth in May. Germany (+23.5 per cent) showed the highest increase again, while France (+9.5 per cent), the UK (+5.4 per cent) and Italy (+5.1 per cent) followed with single-digit percentages.

Five months into the year, registrations of new light commercial vehicles grew by 5.9 per cent to reach 908,291 vehicles sold. Each of the largest markets made a positive contribution to the region's overall performance: Germany (+14.7 per cent), the UK (+7.5 per cent), France (+6.9 per cent), Italy (+6.0 per cent) and Spain (+3.8 per cent).

In May 2019, demand for new heavy trucks (16 tonnes and over) grew significantly (+21.2 per cent) compared May 2018, counting 31,910 units registered. Growth was driven by double-digit gains in France (+35.3 per cent), Germany (+25.2 per cent) and Spain (+14.1 per cent). The UK (+6.2 per cent) and Italy (+5.0 per cent) followed with more modest increases.

From January to May 2019, 143,694 heavy trucks were registered across in the European Union, or 8.6 per cent more than during the same period in 2018. The UK (+17.6 per cent), Germany (+14.8 per cent) and France (+14.5 per cent) posted strong increases, while the Italian (‐8.6 per cent) and Spanish (-1.9 per cent) markets saw falling demand for new heavy trucks.