
The European bus market closed 2024 with divergent trends across its leading countries, with some markets showing impressive gains and others encountering setbacks—especially in electric bus adoption. Below are key highlights from France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
France: Slight Growth (+2%)
With 5,807 newly registered buses (+2% vs. 2023), France holds its position as the largest national bus market in Europe.
- Top brands: Iveco leads with a 51.5% market share, followed by Daimler and MAN.
- Strong performers: Irizar soared by +176%, and Temsa advanced +37%, especially in the school bus segment.
- Chinese OEMs: A small but rising presence, capturing about 1.5% share.
Industry experts note that French bus deliveries could have been higher if manufacturers could produce more quickly. During Autocar Expo in December 2024, OEMs pointed to backlogged orders extending to 2027, driving up used coach prices.
Germany: Slight Dip (–2%) & EV Buses Down
Germany’s market registered 5,382 buses in 2024, a small decline from the 5,493 the previous year. The downturn is partly attributed to reduced subsidies for electric buses, directly impacting e-bus registrations (711 units, –12% vs. 809 in 2023).
- Total new buses: 5,382 (–2% yoy)
- E-bus registrations: 711 (–12% yoy)
- Decline in “alternative drives”: 32.4% share in 2024 vs. 42.5% in 2023
VDV (the German Association of Transport Companies) indicates that budget cuts by the federal government have scaled back planned zero-emission bus purchases, highlighting the uncertainty around financial support for e-bus adoption.
Italy: Impressive +20% Increase
Italy recorded 4,920 newly registered buses and coaches (over 8 tons), marking a 20% jump from 2023. Several factors contributed to this strong performance:
- Next Generation EU Funding: About €2 billion allocated to zero-emission city buses boosted the electric segment.
- Electric city buses: Roughly 40% of new city bus registrations were electric in 2024.
- Iveco leads market: 41% market share.
- Gas buses rising, while intercity segment dipped (–16.7%), and coaches rebounded +25.1%, though still below pre-2020 levels.
Spain: Rising Demand (+16%)
Spain’s bus market increased by 16% to 4,355 vehicles. For heavier segments (over 8 tons), registrations reached 3,604 units (+9% yoy).
- Mercedes-Benz topped the chart: 1,077 units (~25% share).
- Iveco grew by +13%, MAN by +19%, and Irizar by +27%.
- Other notable gains: Temsa (+40%), King Long (+155%). Meanwhile, Solaris saw a sharp drop (–64%).
Outlook
These varied results reflect the ongoing transition toward cleaner vehicles and the influence of differing national policies:
- France: Constrained by limited production capacity, but a robust market with modest growth.
- Germany: Faced headwinds as e-bus subsidies receded, leading to lower electric bus uptake.
- Italy: Benefitting from major EU stimulus and a sizable pivot to electric city buses.
- Spain: Overall healthy growth, albeit with brand-by-brand fluctuations.
The final 2024 figures underline the importance of stable public funding, reliable supply chains, and supportive policy frameworks for driving the EU’s bus and coach sector toward its zero-emission targets. The coming year will show whether these nations can accelerate their e-bus rollout to meet ambitious climate goals.
Source
Views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not reflect those of the European Commission.