Skip to the content

Data extracted in January 2025

Planned update: January 2026

Highlights

The Nordic countries led the registration of new zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) in 2023.
Malta now records the 2nd largest aircraft fleet in the EU after Germany.
an image showing the share of passenger cars, by fuel type in the year 2023.

Transport statistics include information on transport equipment - the type and number of vehicles/vessels/aircraft that are used and their age. This article provides information related to transport equipment in the European Union for 4 modes of transport: railway, road, inland waterway and air.

Railway transport equipment: more electrical energy

By 2023, the use of electricity as a source of power for locomotives had increased over the years in most EU countries (Table 1). However, in 2023, diesel was still exclusively used by locomotives in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Electricity was the main source of power for railcars in 13 EU countries among the 19 for which information is available: Belgium, Denmark, Spain, France, Croatia, Latvia, Luxembourg, Hungary, Austria, Poland (2020 data), Portugal, Slovenia and Sweden (Table 2).

a table showing the share of locomotives by type of source of power in the years 2005, 2013, 2023, in the EU countries, and some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Table 1: Share of locomotives by type of source of power, 2005, 2013, 2023 (%)
Source: Eurostat (rail_eq_locon)


a table showing the share of railcars by type of source of power in the years 2005, 2013, 2023, in the EU countries, and some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Table 2: Share of railcars by type of source of power, 2005, 2013, 2023 (%)
Source: Eurostat (rail_eq_locon)

Privatisation in the railway transport sector does not make it easy to compile the number of passenger railway vehicles in the individual countries. Figure 1 shows the number for selected countries. As large countries with an extensive railway network, Germany and France stand out with a total number of 29 110 and 25 629 vehicles respectively, in 2023, followed at a considerable distance by Italy (14 608), Poland (7 467) and Spain (5 852). The relative significance of passenger rail transport is also reflected in eastern EU countries, with comparatively high numbers in Czechia, Romania and Hungary.

two vertical bar charts with separate axis showing the passenger railway vehicles in the year 2023 in the EU countries, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Figure 1: Passenger railway vehicles, 2023 (number)
Source: Eurostat (rail_eq_pa_nty)

Road transport equipment: Nordic countries led the new zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) registered in 2023

In 2023, the highest shares of zero-emission passenger cars among the new registrations were noted in Sweden (38.6%), Denmark (36.1%), Finland (33.8%) and the Netherlands (30.8%). High shares (exceeding the EU average of 14.5%) were also recorded in Luxembourg (22.5%), Malta (20.3%), Austria (19.9%), Belgium (19.3%), Ireland (18.5%), Germany (18.4%), Portugal (18.2%) and France (16.5%) (Table 3).

The share of zero-emission motor coaches and buses among the new registrations were even higher than the one of new passenger cars both at EU total level (15.3%) and for most EU countries: the Netherlands (47.6% vs 30.8%), Denmark (42.7% vs 36.1%), (Finland 42.6% vs 33.8%), Portugal (38.8% vs 18.2%), Luxembourg (32.8% vs 22.5%), Malta (27.2% vs 20.3%), Latvia (25.8% vs 8.8%), Lithuania (25.4% vs 8.2%), Belgium (23.9% vs 19.3%), Romania (23.3% vs 10.6%), Poland (22.8% vs 3.6%), Spain (16.2% vs 5.6%), Cyprus (13.7% 5.4%), Slovenia (12.2% vs 8.9%), Italy (8.7% vs 4.2%), Hungary (7.1% vs 5.4%) and Slovakia (5.5% vs 2.9%).

For EFTA countries the picture is a bit different: the share of new zero-emission passenger cars is higher in Norway (81.4% vs 54.9%) and in Iceland (50.1% vs 10.9%), while in Lichtenstein the share of new zero-emission motor coaches and buses exceeds the share of new zero-emission passenger cars (100.0% vs 21.3%). In Switzerland both shares are at the same level, around 20%.

The share of zero-emission light lorries among the new registrations were higher than the EU average (7.3%) in Sweden (19.3%), the Netherlands and Finland (both 14.4%), Malta (12.7%), Denmark (11.2%), Austria (10.6%), Greece (9.9%), Portugal (9.0%), France (8.4%) and Germany and Luxembourg (both 8.0%).

a table showing the share of new zero-emission road motor vehicles in total new road motor vehicles registered in 2023, by category of vehicle, in the EU, EU countries, and some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countires.
Table 3: Share of new zero-emission road motor vehicles in total new road motor vehicles registered in 2023, by category of vehicle (%)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqr_zev), (road_eqr_busmot), (road_eqr_carmot), (road_eqr_carpda), (road_eqr_lormot) and (road_eqr_tracmot)


In 2023 the number of new zero-emission passenger cars in the EU countries exceeded 1.5 million (Table 4), which was about 70 times higher than in 2013 and 11 times higher than in 2018. The number of new zero-emission motor coaches and buses in the EU exceeded 5 000 while the number of new zero-emission light lorries was higher than 100 000 in 2023.

a table showing the number of new zero-emission road motor vehicles registered in the year from the year 2013 to the year 2023 in the EU.
Table 4: New zero-emission road motor vehicles registered in the year, EU, 2013-2023 (number)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqr_zev)


Increase in motorisation rate of passenger cars in almost all EU countries between 2013 and 2023

The EU reported an increase of 13.8% in the motorisation rate of passenger cars (number per thousand inhabitants) in the period 2013-2023 (Table 5). Passenger cars are road motor vehicles, other than a moped or a motorcycle, intended for the carriage of passengers and designed to seat no more than 9 persons (including the driver). Romania (80.9%), Croatia (44.3%) and Hungary (40.8%) recorded the highest increases when comparing 2023 with 2013 data. Latvia (418), Romania (425) and Hungary (435) reported the lowest rates in 2023. Italy (694), Luxembourg (675), Cyprus (665) and Finland (664) recorded the highest rates.

a table showing the motorisation rate of passenger cars from the year 2013 to the year 2023 in the EU, EU countries, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Table 5: Motorisation rate of passenger cars, 2013-2023 (number of passenger cars / thousand inhabitants)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqs_carhab)


In 2023, half of the passenger cars in a typical EU country had a petrol engine

In 12 out of 24 EU countries for which 2023 data are available (Figure 2), more than 50% of the cars were petrol cars (including hybrids). The Netherlands reported the highest percentage of petrol cars (85.4%), followed by Cyprus (78.5%), Finland (72.2%) and Malta (68.8%). Diesel-driven cars (including hybrids) exceeded the 50% threshold in Lithuania and Latvia (both 66.3%), Croatia (56.0%), Portugal and Ireland (both 55.6%), Spain (53.5%), France (51.1%) and Austria and Romania (both 50.9%). Alternative fuels (excluding hybrid vehicles) made a significant contribution in Bulgaria (14.3%), Italy (10.3%), Sweden (10.1%) and Lithuania (7.2%). The large share of alternative energy cars in Türkiye is explained by LPG cars, either initially registered so, or converted from conventional cars. On the other hand, the significant share of alternative fuel in Norway (23.9%) is mainly driven by battery-only electric cars (BEV).

a stacked bar chart showing the share of passenger cars, by fuel type in the year 2023 in the EU countries, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Figure 2: Share of passenger cars, by fuel type, 2023 (%)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqs_carpda)

Renewal of the passenger car fleet: noticeable increase compared with 2021 and 2022

In 2023, the renewal rate of passenger cars (ratio of first-registered to total passenger cars, excluding imported second-hand vehicles) in the EU countries ranged from 1.2% in Bulgaria to 10.8% in Luxembourg (Table 6). Renewal rates were relatively high between 2017 and 2019 but a fall occurred in 2020. Year 2023 scored a rebound in all EU countries. At EU level, the renewal rate in 2023 almost reached its value in 2013 (4.2% vs 4.3%), with year-on-year variations similar to the ones for the EU countries.

a table showing the renewal rate of passengers cars from the year 2013 to 2023 in the EU, EU countries, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Table 6: Renewal rate of passenger cars, 2013-2023 (first-registered passenger cars / total passenger cars, %)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqr_carmot) and (road_eqs_carmot)

Motorisation rate of goods vehicles: highest in Cyprus, Portugal and Finland

In 2023, the motorisation rate of lorries and road tractors in the EU was 78 lorries and road tractors per 1 000 inhabitants, 19.9% higher than in 2013 with a constant increase in this period. Across countries it varied from 48 in Germany to 133 in Cyprus (Table 7). These variations are probably partly due to the fact that EU countries register very light lorries and vans differently. Besides Cyprus, Portugal and Finland (both 129), Poland (118), Greece (115) and Estonia (107) also recorded rates above 100. By contrast, besides Germany, low rates were recorded in Latvia (53), Lithuania (60) and Croatia (61). Between 2013 and 2023, the trend was not consistent among EU countries. Eastern EU countries recorded the highest increases, especially Croatia (87.2%), Romania (64.6%), Estonia (53.1%), Hungary (48.5%), Bulgaria (38.7%) and Slovenia (36.6%). On the other hand, Denmark (-15.1%) and Malta (-3.4%) recorded decreases.

a table showing the motorisation rate of lorries and road tractors from the year 2013 to the year 2023 in the EU, EU countries, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Table 7: Motorisation rate of lorries and road tractors, 2013-2023 (number of lorries and road tractors / thousand inhabitants)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqs_lorroa) and (demo_gind)

Regarding renewal rates of lorries and road tractors, 10 EU countries recorded rates above 7% in 2023: Luxembourg (12.9%), Slovenia (8.6%), Germany (8.4%), Lithuania and Denmark (both 7.6%), Sweden and Belgium (both 7.5%), Ireland (7.4%), the Netherlands (7.3%) and France (7.2%) (Figure 3). By contrast, the lowest renewal rates were in Greece (0.9%), Malta and Cyprus (both 1.6%) and Bulgaria (1.9%). These rates are not supposed to include imported second-hand vehicles[1], which can constitute significant numbers in many countries.

a horizontal bar chart with two bars showing the renewal rate of lorries and road tractors in the years 2013 and 2023 in the EU countries, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Figure 3: Renewal rate of lorries and road tractors, 2013 and 2023 (lorries and road tractors first registration / total lorries and road tractors, %)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqr_tracmot), (road_eqr_lormot) and (road_eqs_lorroa)

Increase in motorisation rate of road tractors in almost all EU countries between 2013 and 2023

The EU countries reported an increase of 45.2% in the motorisation rate of road tractors (number per 1 000 inhabitants) in the period 2013–2023 (Table 8). Eastern EU countries recorded the highest increases when comparing 2023 with 2013 data: Croatia (125.0%), Romania (116.0%), Lithuania (101.0%), Poland (93.8%), Ireland (83.8%), Slovenia (75.1%) and Hungary (72.8%). On the contrary, Czechia (-57.3%), Malta (-18.6%) and Luxembourg (-13.4%) recorded decreases during the period 2013-2023. Lithuania (18.9), Poland (14.3), Hungary (9.8) and Estonia (9.5) reported the highest motorisation rates in 2023. Czechia (0.3), Sweden (0.9), Malta (2.1), Austria (2.2) and Cyprus and Greece (both 2.3) recorded the lowest rates.

a table showing the motorisation rate of road tractors from the year 2013 to the year 2023, in the EU, EU countries, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Table 8: Motorisation rate of road tractors, 2013-2023 (number of road tractors / thousand inhabitants)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqs_lorroa) and (demo_gind)


a horizontal bar chart with two bars showing the motorisation rate of road tractors for the years 2013 and 2023 in the EU, EU countries, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries and potential candidate countries.
Figure 4: Motorisation rate of road tractors, 2013 and 2023 (number of road tractors / thousand inhabitants)
Source: Eurostat (road_eqs_lorroa) and (demo_gind)

Inland waterway transport equipment: large differences across countries

In the last 18 years (2005–2023), there was a global decrease of approximately 20% in total number of inland waterway vessels, especially in the largest countries for which data are available (Germany, Romania, Belgium, France). The Netherlands recorded a global decrease by 22.7% since 2013. Between 2005 and 2023, significant increases in the number of self-propelled vessels were observed only in Bulgaria (209%), Croatia (117%) and Finland (36%). However, the increases in the three aforementioned countries must be put into perspective, as these EU countries have only recently developed their previously small fleets. In 2023, Croatia's self-propelled vessel fleet included 13 units only, Bulgaria's 34 and Finland's 184 (Table 9).

a table showing the inland waterway vessels in selected countries in 2023 in the EU countries, some of the EFTA countries, candidate countries.
Table 9: Inland waterway vessels, selected countries, 2023 (number, % change since 2005)
Source: Eurostat (iww_eq_age) and (iww_eq_loadcap)

In 2023, self-propelled vessels accounted for 72.7% of total loading capacity in Germany, 72.6% in the Netherlands and 64.8% in France. In Romania, dumb and pushed vessels (84.2%) accounted for the majority of load capacity, while in Belgium the share of the load capacity of self-propelled vessels and dumb and pushed vessels was 49.5% and 50.5%, respectively (Figure 5).

a horizontal bar chart showing the total loading capacity of self-propelled vessels and dumb and pushed vessels in the top 5 countries in the year 2023.
Figure 5: Total loading capacity of self-propelled vessels and dumb and pushed vessels, top 5 countries, 2023 (thousand tonnes)
Source: Eurostat (iww_eq_loadcap)

The percentage of self-propelled vessels with medium loading capacity (from 1 000 to 2 999 tonnes) stood at over 50% in Slovakia (96.5%), Bulgaria (95.8%), Croatia (78.6%), Romania (66.9%), France (57.8%) and the Netherlands (52.3%). Only Belgium and the Netherlands recorded a high share (>40%) of self-propelled vessels with high loading capacity (3 000 tonnes and over) (Figure 6).

a horizontal stacked bar chart showing the share of self-propelled vessels by load capacity in selected countries in the year 2023, in some EU countries and Serbia.
Figure 6: Share of self-propelled vessels by load capacity, selected countries, 2023 (%)
Source: Eurostat (iww_eq_loadcap)

Concerning dumb and pushed vessels, the ones with load capacity from 1 000 to 2 999 tonnes had the highest share in Bulgaria (99.4%), Slovakia (95.4%), Romania (93.5%), Croatia (70.9%), France (65.6%), and the Netherlands (59.2%). Belgium and the Netherlands had again the highest shares of dumb and pushed vessels with high load capacity (3 000 tonnes and over) (Figure 7).

a horizontal stacked bar chart showing the share of dumb and pushed vessels by load capacity in selected countries in the year 2023 in some EU countries and Serbia.
Figure 7: Share of dumb and pushed vessels by load capacity, selected countries, 2023 (%)
Source: Eurostat (iww_eq_loadcap)

Air transport equipment: Malta now records the 2nd largest aircraft fleet in the EU

In 2023, the largest commercial aircraft fleet among EU was recorded in Germany, followed now by Malta

In 2023, Germany, Malta, Spain and France recorded the largest numbers of commercial aircraft operated by EU countries (see Figure 8). The largest aircraft fleet was in Germany (1 113 aircraft accounting for a 18% share of the EU total), followed by Malta (584; 10% share), Spain (574; 10% share), France (530; 9% share), Ireland (442; 7% share) and Austria (413; 7% share). Malta was ranked only number 8 in 2019, with a 5% share; most of its progression is due to "other aircraft". In terms of the number of aircraft per million inhabitants, Malta (1 036) and Luxembourg (176) held the highest values, while Italy and Slovakia (4) and Romania (2) had the lowest.

a pie chart showing the EU commercial aircraft fleet by operator country for the top 10 countries in the EU countries in the year 2023.
Figure 8: EU commercial aircraft fleet by operator country, top 10 countries, 2023 (%)
Source: Eurostat (avia_eq_arc_typ)

When looking at the breakdown by country of aircraft registration (avia_eq_arc_typreg), the top 10 countries with the highest values are the same as per the breakdown by operator country; however Ireland is in the third place, France in the fourth and Spain the fifth. The top 5 countries with the lowest values are unchanged (Cyprus, Slovenia, Slovakia, Croatia and Lithuania).

Besides the fleet size, Eurostat collects data on the category of aircraft. In 2023, there were 6 037 commercial aircraft operated by EU countries, a 15.2% increase compared with 2013. Around 61% of the commercial aircraft in the EU were used to carry passengers, while cargo aircraft accounted for 6.5% (Figure 9). Quick-change aircraft (0.1%) only made up a tiny fraction of the commercial fleet in the EU. Around 33% of the commercial fleet were 'other aircraft', this category includes mainly business/corporate/executive aircraft but also special purpose/ambulance aircraft.

a pie chart showing the commercial aircraft operated by EU countries in the year 2023.
Figure 9: Commercial aircraft operated by EU countries, 2023 (%)
Source: Eurostat (avia_eq_arc_typ)

Source data for tables and graphs

Data sources

Eurostat collects data on transport using the Common Questionnaire on Inland Transport Statistics developed by the UNECE, ITF and Eurostat and the Eurostat Questionnaire on Air Transport Statistics. Some gaps have been filled in with estimates of the European Union Agency for Railways (ERA), the European Alternative Fuels Observatory (EAFO) or of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA). Data are classified according to the transport mode and, particularly for transport equipment, refer to vehicles, vessels and aircraft:

  • Railway transport: covers locomotives, railcars, passenger railway vehicles and wagons.
  • Road transport covers: mopeds, motorcycles, passenger cars, motor coaches, buses and trolley buses, lorries and road tractors, trailers and semi-trailers are included in this category. Data refer to the total number of vehicles as well as to new registrations.
  • New motor vehicles registered during the year (= first registered vehicles): the new motor vehicles registered during the year are those motor vehicles that are first-time registered as new in a motor vehicle register, irrespective of the nationality of the register.
  • Imported second-hand vehicles are not first-time registered but should be regarded as re-registered vehicles. Thus, should not be included in the number of new motor vehicles registered first time during the year.
  • Inland waterway transport covers freight vessels, classified according to the load capacity and date of construction.
  • Air transport covers commercial aircraft only, by type and age of aircraft.

Most data have been available since 1990 (in some cases since 1970) and are collected for the EU, EFTA and EU candidate countries and potential candidates. Not all data are available for all EU countries, which makes it difficult to derive EU averages.

Context

The 'European Green Deal' of 11 December 2019 (COM(2019) 640 final) is the Commission's plan to make the EU's economy sustainable. Its aim is to turn climate and environmental challenges into opportunities and make the transition just and inclusive for all. The European Green Deal provides an action plan to boost the efficient use of resources by moving to a clean, circular economy restore biodiversity and cut pollution. The EU aims to be climate neutral in 2050.

In its Communication of 9 December 2020 (COM(2020) 789 final), the Commission sets out its 'Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy'. It outlines that by far the most serious challenge facing the transport sector is to significantly reduce its emissions and become more sustainable. At the same time, this transformation offers great opportunities for better quality of life and for European industry across the value chains to modernise, create high-quality jobs, develop new products and services, strengthen competitiveness and pursue global leadership as other markets are moving fast towards zero-emission mobility.

This strategy comprises a roadmap for putting European transport firmly on the right track for a sustainable and smart future. Various milestones are set out to show the European transport system's path towards achieving the objectives of a sustainable, smart and resilient mobility, thereby indicating the necessary ambition for future policies. These milestones comprise:

  • By 2030, at least 30 million zero-emission vehicles will be in operation on European roads and high-speed rail traffic will double.
  • By 2035, zero-emission large aircraft will become ready for market.
  • By 2050, nearly all cars, vans, buses as well as new heavy-duty vehicles will be zero emission, rail freight traffic will double and high-speed rail traffic will triple.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Imported second-hand vehicles are not first-time registered but should be regarded as re-registered vehicles. The new motor vehicles registered during the year are those motor vehicles that are first-time registered as new in a motor vehicle register, irrespective of the nationality of the register.

Explore further

Other articles


Database


Railway transport equipment (rail_eq)
  • Road transport (road), see:
Road transport equipment — Stock of vehicles (road_eqs)
Road transport equipment — New registration of vehicles (road_eqr)
  • Inland waterways transport (iww), see:
Inland waterways transport equipment (iww_eq)
  • Air transport (avia), see:
Air transport equipment (avia_eq)

Thematic section


Publications

Selected datasets


Railway transport (rail)
Road transport (road)
Inland waterways transport (iww)
Air transport (avia)

Methodology


External links


Legislation


Retrieved from "https://ec.europa.eu/eurostat/statistics-explained/index.php?title=Transport_equipment_statistics&oldid=662403"