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Indicator Specification
Vehicle ownership and truck intensity are closely related to vehicle use, i.e. the vehicle fleet expands in response to the demand for increased mobility. However, increasing private vehicle ownership often leads to increased transport demand and the subsequent environmental pressures, as the costs for vehicle use are relatively low and many cost items are fixed (e.g. depreciation, insurance and holder’s tax). The size of the vehicle fleet is therefore an important driver of road passenger and freight transport demand, and the environmental pressures they cause. Additionally, the total size of a vehicle fleet (combined with its average age (see TERM 33 — Average age of the vehicle fleet) gives some indication of the time needed for new technologies to penetrate such fleets.
Vehicle ownership is defined as the number of road vehicles (passenger cars and two-wheelers) per number of inhabitants. The numbers of buses and coaches per number of inhabitants has also been included. The indicator can be extended to include other vehicles specified by passenger transport mode (i.e. coaches, rail, maritime, air), although these are not privately owned.
Freight transport intensity is defined as the number of vehicles per unit of GDP, specified by freight transport mode (road, rail, inland, maritime).
The share of diesel cars in the entire passenger car fleet is defined as the number of diesel vehicles per total number of passenger cars.
Vehicle ownership is expressed as the number of vehicles per 1 000 inhabitants. Freight transport intensity is expressed as the number of heavy duty trucks per million euros of GDP in constant 2010 prices. Dieselisation is expressed as the percentage of diesel vehicles in the entire passenger car fleet.
The level of vehicle ownership is closely related to car use and thus volume of mobility. Especially in urban areas, it is also related to traffic congestion and the higher concentration of air pollutants in the atmosphere.
There are no specific objectives or targets related to the size and composition of the vehicle fleet. Policy objectives are rather set with respect to the average age and environmental performance of the fleet.
No related policy documents have been specified
For passenger transport, vehicle ownership is calculated by dividing the total number of vehicles in each vehicle category (i.e. passenger cars, buses and coaches, and two-wheelers) by the number of inhabitants in each country or country group. For freight transport, truck intensity is calculated by dividing the total number of trucks (i.e. light and heavy duty vehicles, and freight trains) by the total GDP in each country or country group. The share of diesel passenger cars in the passenger car fleet is calculated by dividing the number of diesel passenger cars by the total passenger car fleet.
Data gap filling was needed for the dieselisation figure. Where Eurostat data were missing, ACEA/ANFAC, national statistics, TRACCS and interpolation were used.
No methodology references available.
No methodology uncertainty has been specified.
Data are considered reliable as they are derived from official statistics (DG MOVE, Eurostat).
No rationale uncertainty has been specified.
Work specified here requires to be completed within 1 year from now.
Work specified here will require more than 1 year (from now) to be completed.
For references, please go to https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/indicators/size-of-the-vehicle-fleet or scan the QR code.
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