Beyond cars: production and market trends in commercial vehicles, buses and coaches in Europe

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Abstract:

Research on the automotive sector focuses predominantly on the car industry. Much less attention is usually paid to the production and sales of other types of motor vehicles. This paper seeks to fill this gap by examining this segment of the industry in Europe. The analysis covers three product groups: trucks, light commercial vehicles, and buses and coaches. Its aim is to capture the structure of the sector as well as its long-term trends over the three decades since the 1990s. The paper examines market size, production, and foreign trade in these vehicle groups across European countries, relating trade performance to the size of domestic markets. It also includes case studies of selected manufacturers, including niche producers. Special attention is given to the evolving role of the new Central European member states of the European Union, some of which specialised in particular vehicle types during the socialist era, for example Hungary in buses and Czechia in trucks. The paper discusses the factors underlying changes in European market and production patterns, taking into account the specific characteristics of these vehicle types vis-à-vis passenger cars, namely shorter production runs, lower levels of automation, and higher labour intensity. Finally, it reflects on possible development paths for the commercial vehicle, bus, and coach industry in Europe under changing geopolitical, economic, and environmental conditions.