New commercial vehicle demand across the European Union (EU) in April this year increased for the first time since December 2011, with a year-on-year rise of 3.6 percent, mainly sustained by demand for new vans, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA). However, in April this year the EU counted on average two more working days compared to the same month in 2012. ACEA noted that the total number of registrations in absolute figures was about 100,000 units below the pre-crisis level recorded in April 2008.
New commercial vehicle registrations in the EU in April totaled 143,255 units, as the UK significantly expanded by 29.5 percent compared to April 2012, while Spain and Germany recorded more moderate year-on-year growths of seven percent and 3.7 percent respectively. In the month in question, the French and Italian markets shrank by 3.8 percent and 20.2 percent respectively, both year on year.
In the first four months of this year, a total of 545,049 new commercial vehicles were registered in the EU-27, or down 7.6 percent from the same period a year ago. Looking at new registrations in the major markets in the EU-27 region in the first four months of the year, the UK market expanded by 11.3 percent, while the French market remained the largest market, despite a nine percent year-on-year contraction. In the first four months of this year, new registrations in Germany fell by 11.2 percent, while in Spain a 12.9 percent contraction was seen, both year on year. Italy recorded a more severe year-on-year drop of 23.9 percent.
In the first four months of the current year, new van registrations were down 6.3 percent in the EU, totaling 449,094 units, while new heavy commercial vehicle registrations in the EU declined by 13.8 percent to 65,764 units, both compared to January-April 2012. In the period in question, the EU registered a 13.8 percent year-on-year drop in registrations of new trucks to 86,251. In the meantime, new bus and coach registrations fell by 6.4 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, amounting to 9,704 vehicles.