Many of us are concerned about the age of the vehicles we drive or see on the road. Recent research provides insights into the aging vehicle fleets across Europe and trends in the global automotive industry.
A recent study by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) reveals that Greece has the oldest vehicles among European Union countries.
Greece’s Aging Vehicle Fleet
Greece has the oldest vehicle fleet in the EU, with an average age of:
- 17.3 years for cars
- 21.4 years for vans
- 23 years for trucks
- 18.8 years for buses
Across the EU, the average car age is 12.3 years, with Greece and Estonia having the oldest fleets at 17.3 years and 16.1 years, respectively. Luxembourg has the youngest fleet, averaging 7.9 years.
For trucks, the EU average age is 13.9 years, with Greece having the oldest fleet (23 years) and Austria the youngest (6.7 years). Similarly, for buses, the average age in the EU is 12.5 years, with Greece leading again at 18.8 years. Notably, only six EU countries have fleets with an average age of less than 10 years.
Despite global efforts to renew vehicle fleets for environmental and safety reasons, Greece lags significantly behind.
New Car Registrations in 2024
China led global car registrations in 2024, with nearly 23 million new registrations. The U.S. followed with 12.7 million, while the EU recorded 10.6 million.
Overall, in terms of global car sales in 2024, they reached 74.6 million, an increase of 2.5% compared to 2023. The European market recorded an increase of 3.9%, reaching 16.1 million vehicles, although within the EU, growth was only 0.8%, with 10.6 million new registrations. In the UK, sales rose by 2.6%, while in the EFTA countries (Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland) there was a 4.6% drop. By contrast, in Russia and Ukraine there was a recovery of 46.4% and 12.6% respectively. In the US, sales rose 3.1% to 12.7 million vehicles, while in China there was an increase of 2.6% to 23 million vehicles, accounting for 31% of the world market.
What engine type captured market share
In 2024, new registrations in the EU were as follows: petrol cars remained dominant with 33.3%, followed by hybrid-electric cars in second place with 30.9%. Pure electric vehicles overtook diesel-powered vehicles, reaching 13.6%, while the latter fell to 11.9%.
World Car Production
According to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) and S&P Global Mobility data, critical changes have been observed in the countries with the highest car production worldwide.
Among the world’s five largest car manufacturers, China and India increased their production by 5.2% and 4.7% respectively. In contrast, there were decreases in production in the United States (3.5%), the European Union (6.2%) and Japan (8.6%).
The Big Picture: Alarming Signals
The age of vehicles and shifts in global car production have significant implications for the economy, transportation safety, and climate change mitigation. Despite international efforts for a greener and safer automotive transition, progress remains slow—especially in Greece, where the situation is even more concerning.
