In April 2024, Italy witnessed a double-digit increase in the registrations of industrial vehicles weighing over 3.5 tonnes, marking a recovery from a dip in March. According to Unrae, the Italian Motorization Authority recorded 2,340 units during this period. However, performance varied across different weight categories. The lightest category, those over 16 tonnes, showed the most substantial growth, jumping 22.8%. The intermediate segment, ranging from 3.51 to 6 tonnes, experienced a modest increase of 2%, while the mid-range category (6.1 to 16 tonnes) saw a decline of 2.8%. Over the first four months of the year, the sector registered a total of 10,168 units, an 8.5% increase compared to the same period in 2023.
Paolo Starace, president of Unrae's Industrial Vehicles Section, cautioned, "The strong results in April should not be misleading. In a context where demand remains subdued and delivery times have normalized, the registration volumes are largely due to the clearance of vehicle stock at distribution networks. Therefore, these numbers should not be seen as an indicator of the market's health."
Concerns remain for the rest of the year. Starace added, "Once this phase is over, if there is a lack of necessary support for the sector, we risk a market downturn with a severe slowdown in orders and sales levels. As of now, we do not see sufficient measures to stimulate the industry, except in the promises of an election campaign that has been engaging political forces for some time, delaying the implementation of much-needed actions."
Unrae thus emphasizes the urgent need for "coherent and substantial interventions to support the ecological transition, especially in light of recent resolutions by the European Parliament. These resolutions aim to increase decarbonization targets for heavy vehicles by 2030, forcing manufacturers to introduce a significant share of zero-emission vehicles into the market to avoid severe penalties, which could negatively impact their ability to invest in new technologies and innovate."
