Electric trucks and buses show staggering sales growth in Europe

The market share of fully electric trucks and buses is growing at a staggering pace in Europe, according to a new report from the International Council on Clean Transport (ICCT).

The ICCT says 11,000 zero-emission heavy-duty vehicles were sold in Europe in 2023, more than double the 5,000 sold in 2022, and 18% of all buses and coaches sold in the EU in 2023 were electric. It says 5% of light and medium trucks and 1% of heavy trucks were also electric.

While the total market share of electric trucks is still relatively low, the ICCT report shows that growth is rapid with electric heavy trucks tripling market share from 0.3% to 0.9% in just 12 months.

City buses leading staggering growth in electrifying heavy-vehicles

The ICCT says that in the Q4 of 2023, 43% of all new city buses sold in Europe were fully electric, up from less than 30% in 2022. In overall bus sales, including longer haul interurban coaches, electric bus market share has grown in the EU from just 4% in 2019 to 22% in Q4-2023. A five-fold increase in market share in just 5 years.

The ICCT also broke down city bus market share by EU member states providing fascinating insights into which countries are getting serious about electrifying their bus fleets.

In 2023 fully electric buses make up 100% of city bus market share in Luxembourg, Ireland and Denmark and 98% in the Netherlands. With virtually no new diesel buses entering public transport fleets, these countries are taking huge strides in protecting their citizens from deadly diesel exhaust pollution.

Germany, Austria and Belgium are the laggards of Europe with diesel buses still making up 75% of new bus sales effectively condemning their own citizens to many more years of dangerous health wrecking diesel pollution.

While city bus electrification rates in Germany, Austria and Belgium are low by European standards, they are still a long way ahead of Australia.

Last year a report by The Australia Institute found that because of state government failures, just 0.2% of Australia’s bus fleet is electric, forcing millions of Australian commuters to choke on disgusting diesel exhaust pollution every day at thousands of bus stops around the country.

The diesel exhaust pollution spewing out of buses in Australian cities has a shocking impact on the health and wellbeing of millions of Australians.

Last year a study in Canada found that diesel pollution can dull the human brain in hours. Another study by Melbourne University found vehicle pollution in Australia causes 11,000 premature deaths and is responsible for over 12,000 cardiovascular hospitalisations, 66,000 active asthma cases, and almost 7,000 respiratory hospitalisations per year.

And it’s not just air pollution. New research has shown devastating health impacts from petrol and diesel traffic noise. A landmark study in March last year found increased levels of hypertension and cardiovascular disease in people who are exposed to high levels of traffic noise. Noise that will be significantly reduced with the transition to electric buses.

Electric light and medium trucks matching Australian passenger EV uptake

Market share of fully electric light and medium trucks with 3.5 to 12 tonnes GVW (gross vehicle weight) in Europe in 2023 was roughly the same as electric passenger vehicle market share in Australia. In Europe 6% of all light and medium truck sales were fully electric, more than double the 2.5% market share in 2022.

The ICCT says that electric light and medium truck sales increased by 200% year-on-year in 2023 with the Ford E-Transit leading zero-emissions sales.

Electric heavy trucks accelerating off a low base

The ICCT report also shows that despite still only making up 1% of total market share, electric heavy trucks over 12 tonnes GVW have seen dramatic growth growing threefold from 820 sold in 2022 to 2,600 in 2023.

The ICCT says Volvo Group, which consists of Volvo Trucks and Renault Trucks, produced 70% of all zero-emission heavy trucks in 2023. Volvo is now producing double the amount electric heavy trucks for the EU market than conventional diesel trucks. Volvo appears to be setting itself up as a global leader in the production of electric heavy trucks after selling its first in Australia last week.

Another recent study found that in addition to already having much lower running costs, electric trucks will hit price parity with their diesel truck category equivalents much sooner than thought thanks to plummeting battery costs.

The electrification of heavy vehicles is well underway in Europe and will bring with it enormous societal benefits through substantial reductions in air and noise pollution as well as much cheaper, decarbonised freight. It’s time Australia followed suit.