EV Commercial Fleets
While most spotlight has been on passenger EVs, commercial fleets—especially in the medium- and heavy-duty categories—are witnessing growing electric adoption across cargo vans, delivery trucks, and buses. In 2024, over 15,000 medium- and heavy-duty EVs were deployed across U.S. fleets, spanning semitrucks, delivery vans, and buses. Fleet deliveries more than doubled in 2023, reaching 26,000+ EV buses, trucks, and vans.
Cargo vans dominate EV truck adoption in the U.S.: as of mid-2024, 42,500+ zero-emission trucks (ZETs) were deployed, and 88% of those were cargo vans. Ford’s E-Transit, for example, secured 10,000+ fleet orders early in its rollout, underscoring strong market interest. Meanwhile, GM’s BrightDrop struggled comparatively—with fewer than 2,000 sales in 2023—while Rivian and Ford delivered substantially more units.
Electric buses are also growing, though still modest in share. There were about 50,000 sold globally in 2023, bringing the fleet to around 635,000 but constituting just 3% of annual bus sales. In the U.S., electric school bus penetration remains very limited, though federal investments have been ramping up. Biggest fleets are BYD, New Flyer, and Proterra.
Most popular EVs deployed in fleets
| EV make/model | Country | Fleet use | Quantities |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tesla Model 3 | Global (US, CN, EU, AU) | Corporate, taxi, law enforcement | ~500,000+ globally |
| Tesla Model Y | Global (US, EU, CN, AU) | Corporate, taxi, ridesharing | ~400,000+ globally |
| BYD Qin Plus EV | China | Taxi, ridesharing | Hundreds of thousands |
| Wuling Hongguang Mini EV | China | Urban delivery, small business | Hundreds of thousands |
| Renault Zoe | France, Germany | Government, municipal, corporate fleets | ~100,000+ in Europe |
| Nissan Leaf | Global (US, NO, UK, JP) | Public sector, utilities | ~80,000+ |
| BYD D1 | China, Mexico | Ride-hailing, taxi | ~75,000+ |
| Chevrolet Bolt EV | US, Canada | Government, utility | ~50,000+ |
| Volkswagen ID.3 / ID.4 | Germany, Sweden | Municipal, corporate | ~50,000+ |
| Hyundai Kona Electric | UK, Netherlands | Corporate, municipal | ~40,000+ |
| Kia Niro EV | Europe, US | Municipal, ridesharing, corporate | ~35,000+ |
| Polestar 2 | Europe, US | Corporate, premium services | ~30,000+ |
| Peugeot e-208 | France | Corporate, business | ~30,000+ |
| Ford F-150 Lightning | US | Utility, construction | ~25,000+ |
| Mustang Mach-E | US, Europe | Corporate, law enforcement | ~25,000+ |
| Ford E-Transit | US | Corporate | ~21,000+ |
| Rivian EDV | US | Corporate | ~20,000+ |
These figures show that while commercial EV fleet deployment is strongest in light-duty segments like cargo vans, adoption is steadily expanding into heavier classes. Market trends and fleet surveys reinforce this momentum—64% of fleet managers already use EVs, and 36% anticipate 20–50% of their fleets to be electric by 2025; an impressive 87% plan full-scale electrification within five years.
Fueling this growth is a robust and expanding electric commercial vehicle market: valued at USD 85 billion in 2024, with buses and coaches accounting for 65.2% of the share, and projected to grow at a CAGR of over 18% through 2030. Another forecast places the market at USD 72 billion, with growth to USD 236 billion by 2034.
EV Fleet Growth by Vehicle Segment
Ranked by current real-world fleet adoption and near-term growth momentum across commercial duty cycles.
| Rank | Adoption Segment | Drivers | Constraints |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Passenger Cars | Broad availability, proven reliability, strong TCO for high-utilization (rideshare, rentals), easy access to public charging | Mixed model availability by region, fragmented fleet software, residual value uncertainty |
| 2 | Cargo Vans (Class 1–3) | Depot-based routes, predictable daily mileage, strong fuel/maintenance savings, growing model choice | Payload/range trade-offs, depot power upgrades, permitting, charger queuing during peak windows |
| 3 | Pickup Trucks (Light/Medium Duty) | Field service and utility use, bidirectional power (tools/site power), driver acceptance, OEM telematics integration | Towing range penalties, limited DCFC near job sites, upfit compatibility, higher upfront cost vs ICE |
| 4 | Transit & School Buses | Fixed routes/schedules, strong funding programs, depot charging simplicity, community air/noise benefits | Substation upgrades, winter HVAC loads, long procurement cycles, facility space for buses/chargers |
| 5 | Heavy Trucks (Regional/Drayage) | Port/warehouse hub operations, predictable turn-backs, zero-emission zones, OEM/charging pilot ecosystems | High-power charging not ubiquitous, capex for infrastructure, payload/range constraints, limited residuals history |
