E-bus sales grew 35 percent in the first half of 2024, ICCT states (but their share is decreasing)

Sales of zero emission buses and coaches in Europe increased 35% (from 2,088 units to 2,819 units) in the first half of 2024, according to the International Council on Clean Transportation. However, “the overall market share of zero-emission buses and coaches declined from 16% in the first half of 2023 to 15% in the first half of 2024″. Yutong and Daimler Buses are the leading OEMs in the electric bus segment.

The ICCT released the full market report concerning both heavy-duty vehicles and zero-emission heavy-duty vehicle registration in Europe in the first half of 2024. More into details, zero-emission HDV sales in the first half of 2024 increased by 54% relative to the first half of 2023, considering all segments.

Electric bus market is growing, but…

Just one step back. The European e-bus market saw a 53% growth in registrations in 2023, with 6,354 were registered in EU27 + Norway, Iceland and Switzerland. Over 42% of city buses were zero-emission (BEV and Hydrogen), quickly growing from 15% in 2020 (tripling in three years), according to figures by Chatrou CME Solutions.

Now, back to ICCT’s report, of the 9,976 buses sold in the first half of 2024, 1,722 were ZEVs, 17.2% of total sales (taking together all segments: city, intercity and coaches). This is up from the first quarter when ZEV buses were 12.4% of sales, ICCT says. Battery electric city buses accounted for 40% of city bus sales, with 1,616 registered units in the second quarter of 2024, significantly growing from 32% in the first quarter (1,100 units).

Oddly enough, according to ACEA, zero emission bus registrations grew 45% in the first half of 2024, while their market share increased from 13.7% to 15.5% (17% considering also EFTA countries and UK).

Still according to ICCT, bus sales in the first half of 2024 increased by 48.7% compared with the first half of 2023: “Although the number of zero-emission buses sold during the first half of 2024 rose by 35% compared with the first half of 2023, the ZEV share of total bus sales declined from 16.5% in 2023 to 15.0% in 2024”.

For instance, in the Italian market e-bus registrations grew 83% in the period January-June 2024. Iveco, Bluebus and Daimler Buses are so far leading the e-bus market 2024 in France. In the country, electric bus registrations decreased 16% compared to the first half of 2023, still according to ACEA.

ICCT states that “Yutong and Mercedes-Benz led in zero-emission bus sales, with shares of 20.8% and 14.8%, respectively. Mercedes-Benz also leads the ICE bus market, holding a 27.2% share”.

ICCT also found that “the trend observed in 2023 of several countries selling only zero-emission buses and coaches did not carry over to 2024”.

Quoting from the report, “The percentage of battery electric city bus sales reached 97% in Greece (261 units), 95% in Denmark (111 units), over 90% in Ireland (166 units) and Luxembourg (40 units), and 87% in the Netherlands (80 units). France recorded an all-time high 45% sales share of zero-emission city buses, with 285 units registered in the second quarter of 2024, the highest number of registrations in the European Union”.

What about the truck market?

Out of 74,000 heavy trucks sold in the Q2, 2024, 916 (1.2%) were ZEVs. This is an increase of nearly 20% compared with the first quarter of 2024 when 755 ZEVs were registered, representing 1.1% of the total market share. Compared with the first two quarters of 2023, zero-emission heavy truck sales recorded a significant 53% increase in the first two quarters of 2024, with 1,651 units, or 1.2% of total heavy truck sales registered. Lots of information can be found on our sister platform Sustainable Truck & Van!