Last year, 85% of all new medium- and heavy-duty buses (over 3.5 tons) registered in the European Union were fueled by diesel, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association, a trade group that represents 16 major European car, truck and bus makers.

“Alternatively-powered vehicles” (including natural gas, hybrid and electric) combined accounted for 15% of the EU bus market in 2019.

The numbers are very slowly moving in the right direction. Demand for diesel buses decreased by 3% to 34,123 units.

Buses powered by “alternative fuels” (almost all natural gas) sold 2,504 units in the EU last year, which represents an increase of 68% compared to 2018. France, Spain, Italy and Sweden were the largest EU markets for natural gas buses.

Some 1,918 hybrid buses were registered in the EU in 2019, a 60% increase from 2018. Nearly all the hybrids were delivered in just six countries: Germany, Spain, Belgium, Italy, France and the Netherlands.

Registrations of battery-electric buses increased by 170.5%, from 594 units in 2018 to 1,607 in 2019. The Netherlands was the biggest market, with 381 electric buses registered, followed by France (285) and Germany (187). Together, these three countries accounted for more than half the e-buses sold in the EU last year.

Source: European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association