The holiday season is the peak period for delivery services worldwide, with the highest number of packages being delivered around Christmas and New Year. While official statistics are still awaited, forecasts suggest that the number of packages delivered across Europe in the fourth quarter of 2024 could reach a record-breaking 6.2 billion, about 10% more than last year. Vans are the main support for couriers in last-mile delivery to end customers, serving as an irreplaceable player in this service and a significant factor in many other transport sectors.
Although often overshadowed by their larger counterparts—trucks—vans are a key link in the supply chain across Europe. They successfully balance speed, efficiency, and adaptability, making them one of the fundamental tools of the European transport economy.
Flexibility and availability, cost-effectiveness, and environmental potential are their main strengths in market conditions increasingly characterized by urbanization, e-commerce growth, and demand for urgent deliveries.
For instance, the auto industry experienced significant trend shifts during 2024. As new technologies, including electric and hybrid systems, are integrated into vehicle production, supply chains are evolving, and demand for premium freight is rising. For time-sensitive transport that ensures no delays, vans are a decisive factor.
Across the European Union, over 31 million vans are in circulation. According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), half of these are registered in three countries—France, Italy, and Spain. As of early 2024, the average age of vans in the EU was 12.5 years. Greece had the oldest fleet (over 20 years), while Austria had the youngest (6.5 years). Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Sweden also ranked well, with an average fleet age below 10 years.
Light Commercial Vehicles
Vans fall under the category known as “light commercial vehicles.” The European classification system defines vans as “motor vehicles with at least four wheels used for goods transport and with a maximum mass not exceeding 3.5 tons.” They are categorized under N1, which is further divided into classes I, II, and III based on vehicle weight.
Light commercial vehicles can also be used for passenger transport, in which case they are treated as passenger vehicles under the M category.
Many light commercial vehicles are registered through a multi-stage type approval process, meaning a manufacturer produces an incomplete vehicle, which is then finished by a specialized body manufacturer. Thousands of modifications are available to meet customer needs (e.g., camper vans, refrigerated vans, etc.).
Electric and Hybrid – Less Than 10% of New Registrations
Unlike the truck market, which faced challenges this year, van sales in Europe in 2024 showed relatively strong performance, at least during the first nine months. In the first three quarters, new van registrations in the European Union increased by 8.5%, reaching a total of 1,170,310 units. This growth was driven by positive trends across the four main European markets, led by Spain, which recorded an impressive 16.7% increase compared to 2023, followed by Germany, Italy, and France.
Lower ownership and maintenance costs, along with less demanding infrastructure requirements, make this category easier to transition to sustainable alternatives than heavy-duty vehicles.
While diesel remains dominant, electric vans are gaining importance year by year in Europe, contributing to a gradual shift in market dynamics. Although the share of environmentally friendly vans is still below 10%, it is a better result compared to trucks. For example, in the first three quarters of 2024, about 6% of newly registered vans in Europe were electric, and around 2% were hybrids. By comparison, only 2.2% of trucks were electric.
Analysts predict that electric models will progressively replace internal combustion engine models in the coming years, driven by government and local authority regulations and client demands. Additionally, gas-powered vans are expected to dynamically shift to bio-CNG in industries where transitioning to electric alternatives is challenging.
From Money to Medicine
Vans are used to transport a wide variety of shipments, ranging from general cargo to goods requiring temperature control (food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, medical supplies) to specialized shipments such as artwork and instruments.
Industries heavily reliant on such fleets include courier and delivery services, as well as sectors organizing the transport of money, valuables, and documents, along with “mobile workshops” (delivery of tools and equipment to construction sites).
When it comes to premium freight services, almost no sector is exempt from the need for such services today. However, they are most commonly associated with the automotive and aviation industries, where there is frequent demand for the rapid delivery of specific parts to avoid production delays. Experts anticipate that the demand for premium freight will grow in the future, driven by client needs for sophisticated production enabled by technology and geopolitical challenges that disrupt certain routes.
