Mercedes leads the European HCV Market through August

• Sales of heavy commercial vehicles fell in August but increased during the first eight months.
• Mercedes Trucks leads, followed by MAN and Volvo Trucks.
• The Semi-Trailers are by far the most popular body-style.

Frankfurt, Germany – The European market for the Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCV, or N2/N3 vehicles from 6 tonnes and above.) is showing mixed signs. The latest data gathered by Dataforce for 30 markets that include 24 from the European Union, Türkiye, Norway, Switzerland, Bosnia Herzegovina, Serbia and Iceland, shows that the registrations fell by 4% in August to 21,544 units.

The negative result was not enough to revert the positive trend seen during the first eight months of the year, when the registrations totaled 244,087 units, up by 5%.

The fall was driven by the three largest markets – Germany, Türkiye, and France, which combined represented 49% of the total. The registrations decreased by 10%, 6%, and 12% respectively. On the other hand, but with a lower impact due to their contained volumes, the registrations increased by 25% in Lithuania, by 42% in Portugal, by 26% in Romania, and by 78% in Croatia.

Fleets make up almost two third.

The information by market segments indicates that 63% of the HCV volumes in August were done by fleets with 13,680 units, down by 7%. Still, their Year-to-Date total increased by 5% to 163,515 units, or 67% of the total. Interestingly, the private registrations saw a big increase during the month of 15% to just 475 units.

The level of detail provided by Dataforce solution shows also how the registrations behave according to the weight of the HCV. Based on it, while those trucks, buses, and semi-trailersof 16 to 18 tones recorded 6% and 17% increases in August and January-August, respectively, their heavier siblings did not.

Those heavy commercial vehicles whose weight totaled between 18 and 26 tones, posted a 13% decline in August, and stable volumes during the first eight months. This is the most popular weight among all the HCVs.

The Germans keep the leadership.

Right as it happens in the passenger cars segment, the European market of HCVs is also dominated by German players.

The ranking by brands for January-August shows Mercedes Trucks ahead with 21% share to 51,190 units. Its volumes increased by 12% compared to the same period of 2025. The popularity of the Actros and Arocs, allowed the German brand to increase the sales gap with the second and third in the ranking.

Traton’s MAN brand followed second with almost 34,000 units during the first eight months, up by 5%. This subsidiary of Volkswagen was 1,150 units ahead of Volvo Trucks, the third most popular HCV brand with 32,849 units, up by 6%.

Other winners include Iveco Bus, Isuzu, Otokar, Mitsubishi Fuso, Yutong, and Temsa. In contrast, Iveco and Ford Trucks registered big decreases.

You can find out more about the development of the Commercial Vehicles market in Europe in August 2026 by clicking here.