E-buses reach double-digit shares in Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Denmark’s circulating fleets in 2024, ACEA’s report finds

As of 2024, electric buses have reached double-digit fleet shares in Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Denmark, but diesel continues to overwhelmingly dominate Europe’s buses overall (although, as still ACEA reported, between January and September 2025, registrations of electric buses in the European Union reached 6,444 units, up 49 percent compared to the same period in 2024). It’s also worth noticing how in Luxembourg, Finland and Denmark zero emission buses covered over 2/3 of the total bus and coach market in 2024.

This picture emerges clearly from the latest Vehicles on European Roads report published by the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) in January 2026, which maps the composition of the bus fleet currently in circulation across the EU, EFTA countries and the UK.

Diffusion by power source: diesel remains the backbone

At EU level, diesel buses still account for 88.7% of the circulating fleet. Battery-electric buses represent 3.1% of EU buses, while hybrid electric models account for 2.6%. Alternative fuels collectively play a secondary role: natural gas buses reach 4.5%.

The figures confirm that buses are the most advanced segment in electrification among road vehicles, yet still far from a structural shift at continental scale when considering also coaches in the calculation.

ACEA data show a pronounced geographical divide. Luxembourg leads the EU with 23.3% of its bus fleet being battery electric, followed by the Netherlands at 21.4% and Denmark at 15.7%. These three markets are the only ones where electric buses already represent a substantial share of vehicles in daily operation. Netherlands also saw over 850 e-buses registered in 2025, according to a recent report.

By contrast, in most large EU markets electric buses still account for low single-digit shares. Germany, France and Italy, despite being among the largest purchasers of new electric buses in recent years, continue to operate fleets that are overwhelmingly diesel-based, with electric penetration typically between 2% and 4%.

Hybrid electric buses show notable relevance in specific countries. Sweden stands out, where hybrids represent 17.2% of the bus fleet, pointing to a transition pathway that has favoured partial electrification alongside gradual infrastructure rollout.

Natural gas buses also maintain a visible presence in several Southern and Eastern European markets, contributing to the diversification of powertrains but without altering the overall dominance of diesel.

Fleet size and age slow down transformation

According to ACEA, 699,238 buses were in operation across the EU in 2024, up 1.8% year on year . More than half of these vehicles are concentrated in Italy, France, Germany and Poland.

The average age of buses in the EU is 12.2 years, a critical factor behind the slow pace of change. Only six member states operate fleets with an average age below 10 years, while countries such as Romania and Greece exceed 17 years.