The figures – which are released at the same time as a Dataforce report showing a double-digit rise in EU True Fleet registrations for CVs – show that 1,849,077 new commercial vehicles were registered in 2014. Looking at the largest markets, France remained stable (‐0.4%), while Germany expanded (+4.8%). The UK (+10.8%), Italy (+13.9%) and Spain (+31.6%) posted double‐digit growth.


However, growth in December fell by 2.5%, totalling 166,742 units. Only the light commercial vehicle segment saw an increase last month, while truck, bus and coach sectors recorded a significant drop in sales. Spain (+33.8%) and France (+1.5%) contributed positively, while the UK (‐9.2%), Germany (‐5.2%) and Italy (‐2.8%) performed less well than in the same month last year. Substantial declines posted by the new EU member states (‐9.0%) partially explain last month’s negative outcome.


Looking at the individual segments, for new light commercial vehicles up to 3.5t – vans
– total registrations totalled 1,535,125 units in 2014, representing 83% of total new commercial vehicle registrations and a rise of 11.3% driven by generalised growth in all major markets. Van demand was also up 14.4% in December, mainly due to the significant growth recorded in most major markets, in Spain (+37.9%), the UK (26.6%), Germany (15.0%), France (+7.2%) and Italy (+3.2%).


For new heavy commercial vehicles over 16t (excluding buses and coaches) – heavy trucks
 – 
the region saw a 6.1% decline in registrations in 2014 with a total of 217,958 new heavy trucks. Looking at the major markets the results were diverse. Italy (‐1.4%), France (‐13.1%) and the UK (‐28.3%) performed less well than last year, while German (+6.1%) and especially
Spanish (+25.6%) markets expanded.



December results showed a significant decrease in new heavy truck registrations (‐49.3%) especially when compared with the exceptional growth recorded in the same month last year due to the anticipated implementation of the Euro VI standards in January 2014. Spain was the only major market to sustain demand (+13.5%). Elsewhere downturns occurred in France (‐35.6%), Germany (‐39.5%), Italy (‐40.3%) and the UK (‐77.8%).


Finally for new commercial vehicles over 3.5t (excluding buses and coaches) – trucks – 

from January to December, France (‐13.7%) and the UK (‐27.8%) faced a downturn while demand was up in Spain (+23.2%), leading to a downturn in the region as a whole (‐8.1%). In total, 280,391 new trucks were registered in the EU last year.



In December, results for trucks were similar to the heavy truck segment, with most of the major markets facing a downturn, and only Spain posting growth (+8.4%). Overall, there was a substantial contraction (‐49.0%) across the region as a whole. Substantial growth posted by the new EU member states (+18.4%) partially explain this positive outcome.