On the opening day of the UK Commercial Vehicle Show, automotive trade body ACEA has announced that European commercial vehicle registrations rose 9.8% in the first quarter of 2014 exceeding 443,000 vehicles registered. The market grew 11.1% in March to total 185,520. Growth was sustained across all segments with demand in the UK rising 11% in the month and 10.4% in the quarter.
Spain recorded the strongest growth, rising 26.8% in the month and 39% in the quarter, while Italy grew 16.3% in March and 14.1% in the first three months.
Light commercial vehicle registrations grew by 12.4% in March to 157,333 units. Growth was sustained in all major markets with Spain showing a rise of 24.7%, Italy 20.4% and UK 14.6%. In the first quarter, 369,311 vans were registered across the EU, 10.6% more than the same period last year.
Heavy commercial vehicle registrations increased 7.7% in March to 19,266 units, with Spain and Germany both recording double digit growth – 55.1% and 22.9% respectively. Growth in the sector for the first quarter recorded 11.9%, reaching 52,278 units.
Registrations for CVs over 3.5 tonnes grew 4.2% in March to 25,262, and 6.7% to 66,477 in the first quarter with Spain, Poland and Germany all showing strong growth.
A more modest increase was seen in the bus and coach sector, growing 4.4% to 2,925 units in March, with a rise of 0.3% shown in the first quarter, to 7,250.
For full details, visit the ACEA website.
