ACEA

Demand for heavy trucks halved in 2009

Only slow upturn expected in 2010

Demand for new commercial vehicles has fallen sharply over the past one year and a half, with European heavy truck registrations down 48% in 2009. The European manufacturers estimate that the market has reached the bottom, but expect only a slow improvement in 2010.

Manufacturers have taken numerous measures to adapt output levels, but pressure on permanent employment levels is mounting. The commercial vehicle industry is an important part of the European automobile industry and currently employs about 1.5 million people directly and indirectly in Europe.

Sustaining investments

Vehicle manufacturers go to great lengths to sustain investments in R&D, most notably in the fields of road safety and emission reduction. Just the upcoming Euro VI emission requirements alone would require immediate industry level investments of €6-8 billion.

Pollutant emissions such as nitrogen oxide and particulate matter have already been reduced by as much as 85% and 95% respectively since the late 1980s.

Another main priority remains the further improvement of fuel and energy efficiency in order to contribute to global CO2 emission reduction objectives. The commercial vehicle industry has cut the fuel consumption of its products by more than a third since the 1970s.

Production across the EU

The ACEA commercial vehicle members are Daimler AG, DAF Trucks, Iveco SpA, MAN AG, Scania AB, Volkswagen AG and AB Volvo. They produce trucks and engines in over ten EU countries, including Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Sweden, the United Kingdom, Belgium, the Netherlands, Poland and the Czech Republic.

last updated 08/02/2010

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