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Commercial vehicle sales in August 2025 fell sharply again. New regulations are holding entrepreneurs back from buying vans.
Sales of commercial vehicles fell sharply again in August 2025. According to figures from RAI Vereniging and BOVAG, published by AutoReview, 4,215 new commercial vehicles were registered last month. That is a decline of 28.7 percent compared to August 2024, when 5,915 units were sold.
Over the first eight months of 2025, the total decline is 23.4 percent. A total of 39,570 commercial vehicles have been sold so far this year, compared to 51,655 in the same period last year. The main cause is the new legislation that came into effect on January 1, 2025, making entrepreneurs hesitant to purchase a new van.
Sales of vans up to 3.5 tonnes are under particular pressure. In August, this segment fell by 31.4 percent. The only bright spots are electric commercial vehicles, whose sales rose by 8.4 percent in August compared to a year earlier. The market share of electric commercial vehicles now stands at 9.8 percent.
In August 2025, 4,827 new commercial vehicles were registered in the Netherlands, a decline of 18.3 percent compared to the same month in 2024. Over the first eight months of 2025, the total comes to 47,210 registrations, which amounts to a contraction of 14.6 percent compared to the same period last year. Traditional diesel vans in particular are losing ground, while electric models are steadily gaining share.
The decline is visible across brands and segments, but hits compact and mid-size vans hardest. Heavy commercial vehicles and special vehicles show a slight increase, indicating that business investment in specific segments remains steady.
Notably, no fully electric model makes the top five, although the Ford E-Transit and Volkswagen ID. Buzz Cargo together already account for 12 percent of registrations in the mid-size segment.
The sharp decline has several causes. The tax rules for commercial vehicles were thoroughly revised at the start of 2025. The deductibility of plug-in hybrid vans disappeared for vehicles purchased after January 1, 2025. As a result, entrepreneurs are opting en masse for fully electric alternatives or postponing their purchase decision.
In addition, delivery times for electric models play a role. While demand is rising, manufacturers cannot always keep up with production, leading to longer waiting times and an artificially lower registration figure in the summer months.
The introduction of zero-emission zones in several cities from 2025 makes diesel vans less attractive. Entrepreneurs who still buy a diesel risk restrictions in city centres from 2025. This curbs impulse purchases and forces buyers to look more critically at residual value.
An additional factor is the uncertain economic outlook in construction and logistics, sectors that are traditionally large buyers of commercial vehicles. Falling margins and rising labour costs are causing postponed investments.
The shrinking market for new commercial vehicles has a surprising side effect: the used market is actually picking up. Because fewer new vans are being added, demand for young used examples is rising. This offers opportunities for entrepreneurs who want to sell their current commercial vehicle.
Diesel vans up to five years old in particular are recording stable to slightly rising prices, as supply shrinks while many entrepreneurs cannot or do not yet want to switch to electric. That makes August 2025 an excellent time to sell your well-maintained diesel or mild hybrid van.
Electric commercial vehicles, however, face greater uncertainty. Rapid technological progress and unclear battery degradation make buyers cautious. Anyone offering a two-year-old EV now must expect significant depreciation. Always seek advice on the current market value before proceeding with a sale.
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