Based on registration data provided by the Italian Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport, the Research and Statistics Centre at UNRAE, the Association of Foreign Car Manufacturers in Italy, has drawn up an estimate of the Italian market for commercial vehicles with a gross vehicle mass of over 3.5t, which recorded a loss of registrations in December equal to -6.1% compared to December 2019. On the whole, 2020 shows a consolidated drop for the sector of -13.8%.

In the category of heavy vehicles, with a gross vehicle mass of 16t or more, the market loss in December compared with December 2019 was -5.1%, making the annual result for the category in 2020 -12.7%.

These figures are naturally influenced by the economic context and the consequences of the pandemic however, as highlighted by Paolo A. Starace, chairman of UNRAE’s Commercial Vehicle Division, they demonstrate “the extraordinary resilience of the sector even in hard times such as these, showing a better end result for the year than predictions made last spring”.

From March to June, the sector saw monthly, double figure losses of between 40% and 63%, but then significant recoveries of between 23% and 46% were seen from July through to November, with the sole exception of October (+1.2%).

Exciting projections for 2021.

“Even in a crisis period like this one – stressed the UNRAE Commercial Vehicle Division chairman — in light of the anticipated economic rebound, we expect the market to recover throughout 2021. Although, thanks to incentives, buyers are increasingly moving towards alternative engines, whose market supply is still limited, directing choice towards traditional engines, which also comply with the very high safety and environmental sustainability standards.  

From data supplied by the Ministry and RAM SpA, the Mediterranean Motorway Network, we know that the first category of vehicles to exhaust investment resources available in 2020 was Euro 6 vehicles bought to combat scrapping. Given the medium-small size of most Italian road haulage companies and that it’s not possible to get the transport tariffs for electric and/or hybrid vehicles reviewed by the commission, buying Diesel and Euro 6 LNG vehicles remains the only economically viable alternative for Italian hauliers.”