New commercial vehicle demand across the
European Union (EU) in May this year resumed its downward trend after a year-on-year increase in April of 3.6 percent attributed to a calendar effect, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA). In May this year, a downturn prevailed across all segments, leading to an overall 7.4 percent decrease year on year in the EU.
New commercial vehicle registrations in the EU in May this year totaled 135,587 units, with the Spanish market remaining almost stable compared to May 2012, while the
UK (-4 percent),
Germany (-9.6 percent),
France (-11.2 percent) and
Italy (-16.2 percent) saw fewer vehicle registrations than in May 2012.
In the first five months of this year, a total of 681,337 new commercial vehicles were registered in the EU-27, or down 7.5 percent from the same period a year earlier. Looking at new registrations in the major markets in the EU-27 region in the first five months of the year, the
UK market expanded by eight percent, while the French market remained the largest market, despite a 9.4 percent year-on-year contraction. In the first five months of this year, new registrations in
Spain fell by 10.2 percent, while in
Germany a 10.9 percent contraction was seen, both year on year.
Italy recorded a more severe year-on-year drop of 21.3 percent.
In the first five months of the current year, new van registrations were down 6.4 percent in the EU, totaling 559,906 units, while new heavy commercial vehicle registrations in the EU declined by 12.5 percent to 82,487 units, both compared to January-May 2012. In the first five months this year, the EU registered a 12.7 percent year-on-year drop in registrations of new trucks to 109,233. In the meantime, new bus and coach registrations fell by 6.9 percent compared to the same period of the previous year, amounting to 12,198 vehicles.