The Italian market for light commercial vehicles with a total weight not exceeding 3.5 tonnes continues to post heavy losses. According to figures released by Unrae, registrations in May 2025 reached just 16,487 units, an 11% drop compared to the same month in 2024. This marks the tenth consecutive monthly decline, confirming a downward trend affecting the entire segment. The figures for the first five months of the year also show a clear deterioration: with a total of 79,358 registrations, the market is down by 13.1% compared to the same period last year.
Amid this general slowdown, electric vehicles stand out with a more positive performance. Fully electric models accounted for 5.4% of the market in May, a sharp increase from the 1.4% seen a year earlier and the 3.4% recorded in April. Over the first five months of the year, their market share reached 3.6%, indicating a steady, though still insufficient, progression towards a greener transition. Supporting this modest shift towards low-emission mobility is the rise of hybrid vehicles, which accounted for 8.9% of registrations in May. Diesel remains the dominant fuel type with a 79.1% share, although this represents a drop of nearly five percentage points compared to May 2024, while petrol and LPG remain marginal. Emissions data are also improving: average CO2 emissions for new vehicles fell to 182.6 grams per kilometre, a 6.8% reduction year-on-year.
Alongside falling registrations and the slow growth of electric vehicles, public debate is increasingly focused on the effectiveness and timeliness of government support policies for the sector. The Ministry for Enterprise is working on a new Ecobonus scheme, drawing on unspent funds from previous years, which could mirror the programme in place in 2024. However, the actual implementation of this scheme depends on the adoption of a decree by the Prime Minister's Office, with timelines still unclear. Meanwhile, on 19 May, the Ministry for the Environment announced an independent incentive scheme for the purchase of zero-emission vehicles, funded by reallocating resources originally earmarked for public charging infrastructure under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR).
Unrae president Roberto Pietrantonio is calling for prompt and effective incentives for the sector. While acknowledging the value of the Ministry for Enterprise’s initiative, Pietrantonio stressed the need for certainty and speed. As for the Ministry for the Environment’s scheme, although it stems from the revision of a previously unsuccessful plan, it is still regarded as a positive signal. However, the risk of overlaps and operational inconsistencies between the two schemes is real. According to Unrae, it is essential that both initiatives be carefully coordinated to avoid dysfunctions that could further delay the market’s recovery.
The association also highlights certain technical hurdles that could undermine the effectiveness of the Ministry for the Environment’s plan, such as mandatory scrappage requirements or restrictive criteria related to companies’ legal headquarters or size. To support the ecological transition, Unrae has long identified two priorities: the development of charging infrastructure and the introduction of a 50% tax credit for investments in fast-charging stations with a capacity of over 70 kW, to be activated during the 2025–2027 period. The urgency of public intervention is further underscored by the fact that of the €741.3 million allocated under the PNRR for infrastructure, only €140.1 million has been spent.
The market structure in May confirms the dominance of corporate and institutional channels, which account for 39.4% of registrations. Self-registrations rose to 9.3%, while private buyers dropped to 14.6%. Long-term leasing holds a 29% share, although within this segment there is a notable decline among “Top” companies and a significant rise among “Captives”, or financial companies affiliated with vehicle manufacturers. Short-term leasing remains stable at 7.8%.
As for the best-selling models, Fiat leads the rankings with the Ducato (1,782 units) and the Doblò (1,711), followed by the Iveco Daily, Ford Transit and Fiat Scudo. Also worth noting is the presence of the Chinese model Byd Etp3 among the top twenty (in twelfth place, behind the Renault Trafic and ahead of the Ford Ranger), signalling the gradual entry of Chinese electric vehicles into the commercial vehicle market.
