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Sales of New Commercial Vehicles in Europe rose 88.1% in March 2021

Jiří Staník
May 20, 2021

Sales of new commercial vehicles reached 274 thousand in March 2021 in the enlarged Europe (EU plus Iceland, Norway and Switzerland), according to ACEA. This is 88.1%, or 128 thousand more than in the previous year.

Historically, between January 1997 and March 2021, sales of commercial vehicles in Europe reached a high of 296 thousand in March 2017 and a low of 71.0 thousand in April 2020.

So far this year, some 630 thousand vehicles were sold in Europe, up 23.5% yoy.

Sales of new light commercial vehicles (up to 3.5 tonnes) reached 235 thousand in March, up 98.3% yoy. Historically, between January 1997 and March 2021, sales reached a high of 240 thousand in March 2019 and a low of 53.6 thousand in April 2020. The average annual growth in that period amounted to 2.69%.

Total of 36.2 thousand new medium commercial vehicles (weighting from 3.5-16 tonnes) were registered in March, up 46.1% yoy. That is compared to average annual growth of 2.68% seen in 2011 - 2021.

Sales of heavy vehicles (exceeding 16 tonnes) amounted to 29.6 thousand, up 49.5% yoy. That's compared to maximum of 47.4 thousand recorded in April 2006 and minimum of 8.12 thousand seen in August 2009. Sales of heavy vehicles have been growing by 3.36% a year on average since 1997.

Some 2.33 thousand new buses have been delivered in March in the European Union, up 9.03% when compared to last year. Historically, between 1997 and 2021, sales reached a high of 4.74 thousand in June 2019 and a low of 1.23 thousand in April 2020. The average annual growth in that period amounted to -0.071%.

Most vehicles (61.9 thousand) were sold in the UK (up 80.8% yoy), followed by France (52.6 thousand, up 167%), Germany with 37.7 thousand cars (up 34.2%), 20.9 thousand new vehicles were registered in Italy (up 214%) and 20.2 thousand thousand in the Spain (up 152%). The five largest countries accounted for 85.9% of total new vehicles registered in March 2021.

In relative terms, sales in Italy (+214%) and Sweden (+194%) showed the best performance compared to a year ago, whereas registration in Hungary and Lithuania performed the worst (+7.69% and -12.6% yoy), in March 2021, according to ACEA.

Between 1997 and 2021, sales of commercial vehicles in Europe have increased from 155 thousand to 274 thousand, or 2.55%. a year on average.

In the first three months of the year, some 630 thousand commercial vehicles were sold in Europe, up 23.5% yoy. While most vehicles were sold in France (133 thousand) followed by the UK (109 thousand) and Germany (89.3 thousand), sales in Sweden (up 112%) and Latvia (up 44.5%) performed the best compared to a year ago, according to ACEA. On the other hand, registrations in Iceland (down 9.30%), Norway (up 2.41%) and Hungary (up 3.37%) were relatively the weakest, since the beginning of the year:

The table below shows details of the sales of new commercial vehicles for each of the European countries in the last month and since the beginning of the year.

Sales of New Commercial Vehicles in Europe (thousands of vehicles)

Country March 2021 March 2020 YOY Change % 1-3/2021 1-3/2020 YOY Change %
Austria 6.31 2.43 160 13.8 9.76 41.6
Belgium 9.11 4.98 82.8 24.9 21.7 14.7
Bulgaria 0.825 0.514 60.5 2.21 1.65 33.8
Croatia 0.956 0.605 58.0 2.53 2.18 16.0
Cyprus 0.183 0.082 123 0.488 0.460 6.09
Czech Republic 2.75 1.74 58.0 6.67 5.69 17.2
Denmark 4.33 3.14 37.9 9.83 9.27 6.08
Estonia 0.549 0.354 55.1 1.47 1.29 14.0
Finland 1.82 1.54 17.6 4.73 4.56 3.71
France 52.6 19.7 167 133 100 32.6
Germany 37.7 28.1 34.2 89.3 85.1 4.89
Greece 1.14 0.432 163 2.63 1.86 41.4
Hungary 2.51 2.33 7.69 6.95 6.73 3.37
Iceland 0.128 0.096 33.3 0.322 0.355 -9.30
Ireland 3.34 1.76 90.1 12.2 10.4 17.8
Italy 20.9 6.66 214 54.0 39.0 38.3
Latvia 0.412 0.201 105 0.991 0.686 44.5
Lithuania 0.984 1.13 -12.6 3.09 2.74 12.7
Luxembourg 0.663 0.336 97.3 1.74 1.47 18.7
Netherlands 8.83 7.64 15.6 24.4 23.4 4.38
Norway 3.95 3.27 20.6 10.0 9.81 2.41
Poland 11.0 5.95 84.9 25.9 18.5 39.8
Portugal 3.40 1.80 88.6 8.27 7.66 7.99
Romania 1.72 1.35 27.6 4.87 4.61 5.59
Slovakia 1.19 0.611 95.4 2.64 2.25 17.4
Slovenia 1.28 0.589 116 3.47 2.79 24.1
Spain 20.2 8.02 152 46.7 42.0 11.1
Sweden 9.29 3.16 194 15.3 7.22 112
Switzerland 3.57 2.65 34.7 8.81 8.37 5.28
United Kingdom 61.9 34.2 80.8 109 78.4 38.9
EU + EFTA 274 145 88.1 630 510 23.5
Source: ACEA, Helgi Library

Sales of New Light Commercial Vehicles in Europe (thousands of vehicles)

Country March 2021 March 2020 YOY Change % 1-3/2021 1-3/2020 YOY Change %
Austria 5.41 1.89 187 11.8 8.07 46.0
Belgium 8.19 4.39 86.7 22.4 19.2 16.2
Bulgaria 0.585 0.365 60.3 1.45 1.30 11.9
Croatia 0.809 0.539 50.1 2.20 1.92 14.7
Cyprus 0.179 0.074 142 0.459 0.419 9.55
Czech Republic 1.82 1.08 69.0 4.30 3.65 17.9
Denmark 3.78 2.74 37.9 8.49 8.04 5.71
Estonia 0.453 0.288 57.3 1.20 1.03 17.1
Finland 1.45 1.22 18.4 3.74 3.51 6.44
France 47.6 16.8 183 119 88.3 35.4
Germany 28.5 20.9 36.4 67.0 63.9 4.86
Greece 1.06 0.344 207 2.44 1.58 54.8
Hungary 2.09 2.08 0.240 5.82 5.65 3.04
Iceland 0.110 0.087 26.4 0.261 0.303 -13.9
Ireland 3.00 1.45 107 11.3 9.40 20.6
Italy 18.2 4.95 268 46.2 32.5 42.4
Latvia 0.265 0.145 82.8 0.591 0.489 20.9
Lithuania 0.393 0.328 19.8 0.948 0.928 2.16
Luxembourg 0.535 0.246 117 1.39 1.12 23.8
Netherlands 7.56 6.36 18.9 20.7 19.3 7.01
Norway 3.38 2.75 22.8 8.47 8.20 3.29
Poland 7.68 4.33 77.5 18.1 13.4 35.1
Portugal 2.92 1.56 87.7 7.06 6.64 6.42
Romania 1.15 0.983 16.6 3.35 3.35 0.060
Slovakia 0.892 0.453 96.9 1.84 1.62 13.3
Slovenia 1.10 0.396 179 2.90 2.18 33.4
Spain 18.0 6.71 169 40.5 36.3 11.6
Sweden 8.68 2.56 240 13.6 5.65 141
Switzerland 3.15 2.28 37.9 7.80 6.96 12.0
United Kingdom 56.1 30.2 85.5 97.4 67.9 43.4
EU + EFTA 235 119 98.3 533 423 26.1
Source: ACEA, Helgi Library
 

Sales of New Heavy Commercial Vehicles in Europe (thousands of vehicles)

Country March 2021 March 2020 YOY Change % 1-3/2021 1-3/2020 YOY Change %
Austria 0.805 0.459 75.4 1.69 1.42 19.3
Belgium 0.669 0.473 41.4 1.89 1.82 3.90
Bulgaria 0.227 0.123 84.6 0.716 0.311 130
Croatia 0.116 0.047 147 0.273 0.201 35.8
Cyprus 0.001 0.001   0.017 0.011 54.5
Czech Republic 0.747 0.470 58.9 1.69 1.42 18.6
Denmark 0.484 0.325 48.9 1.12 1.02 9.38
Estonia 0.083 0.032 159 0.209 0.173 20.8
Finland 0.238 0.206 15.5 0.647 0.676 -4.29
France 3.95 2.32 70.6 10.2 9.20 11.1
Germany 6.22 4.76 30.8 15.0 13.6 10.3
Greece 0.037 0.031 19.4 0.070 0.110 -36.4
Hungary 0.373 0.201 85.6 0.993 0.759 30.8
Iceland 0.010 0.005 100 0.025 0.028 -10.7
Ireland 0.243 0.240 1.25 0.689 0.753 -8.50
Italy 1.99 1.14 75.0 5.76 4.51 27.7
Latvia 0.125 0.044 184 0.347 0.154 125
Lithuania 0.558 0.721 -22.6 2.02 1.64 23.3
Luxembourg 0.118 0.055 115 0.264 0.199 32.7
Netherlands 1.09 1.07 1.59 3.23 3.40 -4.94
Norway 0.371 0.374 -0.802 1.15 1.16 -0.260
Poland 2.99 1.32 127 6.93 4.26 62.8
Portugal 0.386 0.178 117 0.940 0.718 30.9
Romania 0.509 0.291 74.9 1.31 1.04 25.4
Slovakia 0.251 0.135 85.9 0.664 0.503 32.0
Slovenia 0.151 0.177 -14.7 0.476 0.554 -14.1
Spain 1.81 0.921 96.0 5.02 4.15 21.0
Sweden 0.521 0.504 3.37 1.37 1.35 1.93
Switzerland 0.336 0.220 52.7 0.763 0.820 -6.95
United Kingdom 4.18 2.96 41.1 8.16 6.99 16.7
EU + EFTA 29.6 19.8 49.5 73.7 62.9 17.0
Source: ACEA, Helgi Library

Sales of New Buses and Coaches in Europe (thousands of vehicles)

Country March 2021 March 2020 YOY Change % 1-3/2021 1-3/2020 YOY Change %
Austria 0.086 0.073 17.8 0.267 0.224 19.2
Belgium 0.116 0.037 214 0.241 0.226 6.64
Bulgaria 0.001 0.019 -94.7 0.004 0.025 -84.0
Croatia 0.015 0.004 275 0.030 0.026 15.4
Cyprus 0.001 0.004 -75.0 0.003 0.008 -62.5
Czech Republic 0.055 0.063 -12.7 0.392 0.226 73.5
Denmark 0.019 0.033 -42.4 0.109 0.108 0.926
Estonia 0.011 0.027 -59.3 0.043 0.072 -40.3
Finland 0.009 0.010 -10.0 0.031 0.061 -49.2
France 0.405 0.255 58.8 1.44 1.39 3.74
Germany 0.422 0.485 -13.0 1.27 1.61 -20.8
Greece 0.019 0.019   0.059 0.113 -47.8
Hungary 0.022 0.026 -15.4 0.078 0.222 -64.9
Iceland       0.005 0.007 -28.6
Ireland 0.060 0.033 81.8 0.121 0.124 -2.42
Italy 0.333 0.320 4.06 0.992 1.17 -14.8
Latvia 0.009 0.001 800 0.027 0.020 35.0
Lithuania 0.021 0.051 -58.8 0.077 0.115 -33.0
Luxembourg 0.004 0.015 -73.3 0.072 0.100 -28.0
Netherlands 0.034 0.062 -45.2 0.102 0.228 -55.3
Norway 0.042 0.048 -12.5 0.112 0.167 -32.9
Poland 0.100 0.116 -13.8 0.307 0.392 -21.7
Portugal 0.042 0.036 16.7 0.141 0.196 -28.1
Romania 0.055 0.060 -8.33 0.173 0.186 -6.99
Slovakia 0.018 0.009 100 0.049 0.065 -24.6
Slovenia 0.001 0.006 -83.3 0.039 0.021 85.7
Spain 0.096 0.097 -1.03 0.361 0.590 -38.8
Sweden 0.025 0.044 -43.2 0.162 0.108 50.0
Switzerland 0.034 0.026 30.8 0.114 0.115 -0.870
United Kingdom 0.276 0.159 73.6 0.651 0.926 -29.7
EU + EFTA 2.33 2.14 9.03 7.48 8.84 -15.4
Source: ACEA, Helgi Library

Overview of the Automotive Market

Based on a comparison of 138 countries, USA ranked the highest with 11,051 thousand commercial vehicles sold in 2020 followed by the China and Canada. Total sales of commercial vehicles reached 24,372 thousand in 2020 in the world, according to OICA. This is 8.69% less than in the previous year and 27.3% more than 10 years ago. Historically, total sales of commercial vehicles reached a high of 26,971 thousand in 2018 and a low of 15,912 thousand in 2009, in between 2005-2020. The average annual growth stands at 1.16% since 2005.

The top ranked country, USA, accounted for 45.3% of all commercial vehicles sold in the world. The top 3 countries held a 71.4% share while the ten largest countries some 71.4% in 2020.

USA was the largest commercial vehicle producer in 2020 with 6,896 thousand followed by Thailand and Spain. Total production of commercial vehicles reached 21,787 thousand in 2020 in the world, according to OICA. USA accounted for 31.6% of the world's production, while the top 3 countries held a 37.9% share and the ten largest countries some some 44.4% in 2020:

France ranked the highest in sales of light commercial vehicles with 401 thousand followed by UK and Germany in 2020.

In terms of medium commercial vehicles, Germany ranked the highest with 24.5 thousand vehicles sold followed by UK and France in 2020.

Most heavy commercial vehicles (50.3 thousand) were sold in Germany, followed by France (36.7 thousand) and the Germany (27.8 thousand). On the other hand, China, the Japan and USA produced 82.9% of total heavy commercial vehicles in 2020:

In terms of new buses and coaches, Germany was the largest investor with 6.46 thousand vehicles bought in 2020, followed by France (6.05 thousand) and UK (4.62 thousand). On the other hand, China was the largest producer with 103 thousand vehicles:

Overview of the Commercial Vehicle Manufacturers

Based on a comparison of 27 firms among Commercial Vehicle Producers, Volvo Group generated the highest sales in 2019 followed by Tata Motors and Paccar. At the same time, Volvo Group had the highest market value followed by Paccar and Isuzu Motors:

Volvo Group generated the highest earnings before interest costs, taxes and depreciation (so called EBITDA) in 2019 followed by Paccar and Scania Group. At the same time, Scania Group generated the highest EBITDA Margin followed by Volvo Group and Ashok Leyland.

Jiří Staník
Jiří Staník
CEO & Founder
He spent nearly two decades analysing companies in the region of Central and Eastern Europe, primarily in the area of financial services. Jiri built and headed Equity Research at Wood & Company, a Central European brokerage firm, and got several awards (such as The Best Equity Research or The Best Analyst by Euromoney).