According to the latest data by Anfia, the Italian Association of the Automotive Industry, it was a positive start to the year for the heavy vehicle sector. As a matter of fact, in Italy the first four months of 2023 recorded 9,345 registration certificates of new trucks, 8.4% more compared to the same period of 2022, and 5,520 registration certificates of new heavy trailers and semi-trailers (+0.2% compared to January-April 2022), broken down as follows: 398 trailers (-8.3%) and 5,122 semi-trailers (+0.9%).

These figures speak of a market that is resisting despite the economic uncertainties, but which, according to Anfia, will need a boost from the government with measures to support the renewal of the vehicle fleet, which on average has 19 years of age. Among these, we surely expect the activation of the 25 million bonus for the purchase of vehicles for road transport, which was already earmarked for 2023 by the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, and, above all, the reactivation of the tax credit on the purchase of traditional capital goods. 

Going more into detail, for what concerns trucks, in the first four months of 2023 all four geographic areas maintained a positive sign: +14.3% the North-West, +8.6% the North-East, +5.1% South and the Islands and +3.8% the Centre.

Taking into account the weight class, vehicles over 3.5 and up to 5 tonnes registered once again the most significant growth (+85.2%), followed by heavy vehicles over 16 tonnes (+10.6%), vehicles over 8 and up to 12.5 tonnes (+9.1%) and vehicles over 12 and under 16 tonnes (+8.6%). On the other hand, vehicles above 5 and up to 8 tonnes showed a negative change (-14%). With reference to towed vehicles, in the first four months of 2023, only regions of the North-West registered a double-digit growth (+23.2%), while Centre (-16.1%), North-East (-7.7%) and South and the Islands (-2.1%) showed a decrease.

With regard to the various fuels, during these first four months the market share of gas-powered vehicles was 1.4% (it was 3.8% in January-April 2022), for a total of 127 units, while electric and hybrid diesel/electric trucks accounted for just 0.2% of the total (it was 0.1% in January-April 2022). Also in this case, the market seems to be awaiting for initiatives from the institutions to support the various commitments to achieve decarbonisation. In fact, once again from Anfia, comes the invitation to evaluate the creation of a multi-year fund for road transport, characterised by adequate allocations to support the purchase and long-term rental of zero-emission vehicles.