Amid severe fluctuations in fuel pricestriggered by the Iran war, the transition to alternative drivetrains is gaining serious traction, including for commercial vehicles. But where does the transition actually stand today?
Car registrations point to a clear trend: demand for battery-electric drivetrains is rising. According to the Kraftfahrt-Bundesamt (KBA) in Flensburg for the first half of 2026, the share of newly registered EVs increased by around 48% year-on-year, representing almost a quarter of all new car registrations. Hybrids fared even better, accounting for almost 40% (a +9.8year-on-year increase). Both drivetrain types are benefiting from currently high fuel prices as well as new government subsidies introduced this year, alongside an increasing availability of more affordable EVs on the German market. Therefore, Germany’s new-car registrations are very much in line with the wider European trend.
According to the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), , the strong growth in new EVs over the first five months of 2026 was, on a European scale, primarily driven by three countries,: Italy (+75.7%), France (+55.4%) and Germany (+40.9%).
In the long term, however, ongoing operating costs will be among the factors determining how many electric vehicles actually attract buyers. A key factor of this is the cost of charging at public charging stations, as the opportunity to charge at a domestic wallbox – ideally using self-generated solar power – is highly limited, particularly in urban areas. And those traveling longer distances must rely on public charging infrastructure anyway. There, prices vary significantly and depend heavily on the vehicle owner’s contract status. Anyone wishing to charge completely independently at a fast charger can face rates of up to 85 cents per kWh. At this price point, travelling by EV becomes an expensive undertaking – and can end up costing more than driving a conventional diesel or petrol car, even with considering today’s high pump prices.
For commercial vehicles, the market presents a somewhat different picture: 92% of newly registered trucks in Europe were powered by diesel fuel in the first quarter of 2026. In Germany, this applied to 91% of new trucks. This highlights a significant difference between trucks operating over long distances and buses, many of which are used in urban public transport. Of the latter, nearly 35% were newly registered with an alternative drivetrain in the first quarter of 2026 – both on an European scale and within Germany.
Given the high proportion of conventional internal combustion engines among trucks, the widespread deployment of renewable fuels like HVO becomes all the more critical if the transport sector’s climate targets are to be even remotely achieved.
The necessity becomes even more apparent when looking at Europe’s total vehicle fleet: roughly 96% of trucks in the European Union run on diesel, while only 0.3% are electric. This is according to figures from trans.iNFO, one of Europe’s largest online news portals for the transport, freight and logistics industry.
Bottom line: The conflict in Iran and its impact on the oil markets have made logistics more expensive. Diesel prices have still not returned to pre-war levels, and Germany’s newly introduced “12 o’clock rule” pricing regulation for fuel stations hasn’t changed this either. However, the transition away from the internal combustion engine will a lengthy process for commercial vehicles just as much as for cars.
Renewable fuels are therefore indispensable – not least because of the increasing age of the vehicles on the road. In Europe, the average age of a truck stands at around 14 years (almost 10 years in Germany), while passenger cars average almost 13 years (10.9 years in Germany as of 1 January, 2026).