According to new figures from the ACEA, demand for new commercial vehicles was up 9.7% in March in the EU, compared to March last year. Of the 208,889 new registrations, 49,064 were recorded in the UK (+24.6%), 46,363 in France (+8.0%) and 30,730 in Germany (+19.4%).

Over the first quarter of this year, new registrations amounted to 499,456 units, or 14.7% more than in the same period a year ago. All segments posted growth, except buses and coaches. In absolute figures, France recorded the most vehicles (+11.6%), followed by the UK (+30.0%) and Germany (+30.9%) which performed similarly.

Looking at new light commercial vehicles up to 3.5t – "vans" – March results showed a 5.7% increase in new van registrations. France (+4.4%), Germany (+13.0%) and the UK (+27.0%) performed better than last year, while Spain saw its market contract by 10.4%. In the first quarter, a total of 415,187 new vans was registered in the EU, or 10.2% more than in the same quarter in 2010. France (+8.5%) proved to be the largest market, with 109,696 new vans, followed by the UK (+31.0%) and Germany (+24.4%). Demand for new vans in Spain was down 8.4% over that period.

The new heavy commercial vehicles over 16t (excluding Buses & Coaches) – "heavy trucks" – continued to post the strongest rebound (+58.6%) in March, recording 22,712 new units. All major markets also recorded double-digit upturns ranging from 44.0% in Germany to 47.8% in the UK, 48.2% in Spain and 72.7% in France. Three months into the year, growth in the segment of heavy trucks was strong across the EU, resulting in an overall 65.0% increase. Greece was the only market to decline (-52.7%), while Spain expanded by 43.2%, Germany by 59.4%, France by 68.7% and the UK by 82.8%.

For new Commercial Vehicles over 3.5t (excluding Buses & Coaches) – "trucks" – the EU recorded 30,592 new trucks in March, or 44.5% more than in the same month last year. Growth occurred across countries, reaching 22.1% in the Netherlands, 25.4% in the UK, 38.7% in Germany, 47.4% in Spain and 58.7% in France. Over the first quarter, 76,374 new trucks were recorded in the EU, representing a 50.7% increase compared to the first three months of 2010. Germany (+51.2%) remained the largest market with 23,093 trucks, followed by France (+57.0%; 12,262 units), the UK (+41.3%; 8,586 units) and Spain (+44.5%; 4,198 units). Only Greece (-65.9%) and Ireland (-7.4%) faced a downturn.