Economic Concerns Impact the Commercial Vehicle Market

auto-schweiz Director Thomas Rücker comments on the development in the first nine months: "The Swiss commercial vehicle market remains in reverse gear due to economic concerns and further emerging planning uncertainties. The increasing registrations of electric commercial vehicles are an encouraging sign. However, significant progress in the framework conditions is needed to accelerate the electrification of fleets of SMEs, tradesmen, and transport companies." The fast-charging infrastructure is inadequately designed for trucks, and fleet companies need clarity on how the heavy vehicle tax dependent on performance for electric drives will proceed after 2030. Discussions about further cost contributions of e- mobility for road infrastructure do not help increase attractiveness. Thomas Rücker says, "In commercial freight transport, planning security for investments and total operating costs are existential. Tariff ceilings and other measures must be anchored bindingly in the long term."

Every fifth newly registered truck runs on electricity

In the segment of heavy commercial vehicles, 3,106 new registrations were recorded in the first nine months of the current year. This corresponds to a decline of 14.5 percent compared to the previous year. Almost all weight classes were affected by this minus; only in the categories between 3.5 to 8 as well as 16 to 18 tons a slight plus could be achieved. Since the beginning of the year, CO2 target values have also been applicable for heavy commercial vehicles from 16 tons. At the same time, the exemption that was in effect for electrically operated trucks from the heavy vehicle tax dependent on performance, as well as the possibility of upgrading for load compensation, were the main drivers for the emerging e-mobility: 614 of the newly registered heavy commercial vehicles run purely electric - their share of around 20 percent could develop because the reduced operating costs could amortize the considerable additional costs during acquisition.

New registrations for light commercial vehicles reflect economic weakness

For light commercial vehicles (vans and light semitrailers up to 3.5 tons total weight), after three quarters there is a decline compared to the previous year of 8.5 percent to 20,568 new registrations. Light commercial vehicles, which are considered an economic indicator due to their high importance for SMEs and craft businesses, thus reflect the deteriorated economic prospects.

Purely electric light commercial vehicles have increased

A look at the development of the different drives shows that, similar to cars, plug-in hybrids and purely electric drives increased in the first three quarters. Purely electric models have increased by 78% with 2,627 registrations compared to the previous year and account for almost 13 percent of newly registered vehicles. This reflects the efforts of vehicle manufacturers to respond with a significantly expanded range of electrified models to the 20 percent stricter regulations for vans that came into force retroactively as of the beginning of the year, imposed by the Federal Council. Nevertheless, it remains urgent to further relieve electrically powered light commercial vehicles to achieve a breakthrough in drives in this important vehicle category. Because purely fossil-powered vehicles still make up the lion's share of new registrations.

New registrations of motorhomes down by a quarter

By the end of September this year, 4,495 new passenger transport vehicles were registered, which corresponds to a significant decline of 22.5 percent compared to the previous year. The main drivers of this development are the motorhome segment, whose registrations decreased by 26.7 percent from 5,117 to 3,750 vehicles within a year. This suggests that the "hype" around motorhomes created by the pandemic has come to an end. Also, a noticeable decline is observed in buses: Their number fell by 19.3 percent to 150 vehicles. This concludes the catch- up effects due to pandemic-related investment shifts from the previous year.

Together with the 168,927 newly registered passenger cars, a total of 197,096 new motor vehicles were registered in Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein from January to September 2025. This is 10,542 fewer than in the corresponding period of the previous year (207,638), which corresponds to a cumulative minus of 5.1 percent.

Detailed figures by brand are available at www.auto.swiss. The evaluations by auto- schweiz are based on federal surveys, the data may be provisional and incomplete.

Press contact:
Frank Keidel, Media Spokesperson
T 076 399 69 06
frank.keidel@auto.swiss

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