Registrations of plug-in vans in the European Union increased by 38.2% in the first nine months of 2026, reaching 151,691 vehicles as electrification gained momentum in a largely stagnant commercial vehicle market.
According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), total EU registrations of light commercial vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tonnes reached 1,073,427 units between January and September, broadly matching the previous year’s level.
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The share of externally chargeable vans, which includes battery-electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids, increased from 10.2% to 14.1%. Diesel remained the dominant powertrain but lost ground, with registrations declining 4.3% to 838,830 vehicles and its market share falling from 81.7% to 78.1%.
ACEA groups battery-electric vans and plug-in hybrids together in its statistics, meaning the figures do not represent battery-electric vehicles alone.
Germany Records Strong Growth in Electric Vans
Germany recorded particularly strong growth in externally chargeable van registrations despite a contraction in its overall market. Total registrations fell 4.1% to 188,704 vehicles, while plug-in models increased 49.7% to 28,755 units, representing slightly more than 15% of the market.
Separate October figures from Dataforce indicate that electrification continued to accelerate. Germany’s overall van market grew 7% to 43,158 registrations, while battery-electric van registrations jumped 62% to 6,782 units, giving them a 16% market share.
Car rental companies contributed to the October market recovery, with their van registrations increasing 75%, according to Dataforce.
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These October figures are not directly comparable with ACEA’s nine-month statistics because Dataforce’s electric van figures cover battery-electric vehicles only.
France Leads in Plug-in Van Volumes
France recorded the highest volume among the highlighted EU markets, with 34,355 externally chargeable van registrations, up 33.3% year on year.
Spain registered 16,792 units, an increase of 41.5%, while the Netherlands recorded 14,556 vehicles, up 22.8%.
Several smaller markets posted even faster growth. Portugal increased registrations by 146.6% to 6,039 units, Poland rose 78.6% to 2,731 vehicles, and the Czech Republic grew 74.8% to 1,748 units.
UK and Wider European Markets Also Expand
The UK recorded 37,133 externally chargeable van registrations between January and September, representing growth of 34.2%.
Across the wider European market, including the EU, European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries and the UK, registrations increased 35.8% to 203,160 vehicles.
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Despite the expansion, diesel continues to dominate the EU light commercial vehicle market, accounting for 78.1% of new registrations during the period.
The latest figures nevertheless indicate that plug-in powertrains are gaining a larger position in Europe’s van sector, with Germany’s October battery-electric growth providing further evidence of the accelerating transition in individual markets.