The Italian market for trailers and semi-trailers over 3.5 tonnes gross vehicle weight grew again during the summer months, following the dip recorded in June. According to figures from the Ministry of Transport analysed by Unrae’s Centre for Studies and Statistics, registrations in July 2025 rose by 20.2% compared to the same month in 2024, with 1,643 new units against 1,367 a year earlier. August confirmed the upward trend, with 855 registrations, up 14.8% on the 745 recorded in August 2024. Over the first eight months of the year, 10,301 vehicles were registered, an increase of 9.8% compared with 9,381 in the same period of 2024.
However, structural issues remain, above all the high average age of the fleet. According to Unrae, the circulating stock of towed vehicles now has an average age of nearly 18 years and does not benefit from dedicated support measures. The association considers it urgent to allocate at least €25 million from the Road Haulage Fund to support fleet renewal as early as 2025. Michele Mastagni, coordinator of the trailers, semi-trailers and bodyworks group, warned that ill-timed statements about extraordinary subsidies risk fuelling unrealistic expectations among companies, slowing down replacement processes. The foreign manufacturers’ association also suggests extending incentives to rental, seen as a useful tool to speed up fleet renewal and provide options for businesses lacking the resources to buy new vehicles.
The issue also connects with the European regulatory framework. In light of the resumption of the Strategic Dialogue on the future of the automotive sector, the association is calling for an early review in 2026 of the Regulation on decarbonisation targets for heavy vehicles. From 2030, the application of the Vecto system for calculating emissions will also affect trailers and semi-trailers, with possible penalties of several thousand euros per vehicle to be borne by manufacturers.
Unrae warns that while sharing the environmental goals, these measures risk driving up vehicle prices sharply in the coming years and making it harder for transport companies to invest in new vehicles. Without an adequate support plan, the regulation could have the opposite effect to what is intended, forcing companies to keep outdated vehicles on the road for longer.
