Motor vehicle for goods transport with a maximum permissible laden weight of over 3.5 tonnes. A distinction is made between lorries and heavy road tractors.
Stricter rules apply to the use of heavy goods vehicles than to light vehicles: Category C driving licence, ban on driving at night and on Sundays, specific speed limits and road taxes etc.
One exception is battery-electric and other zero-emission vehicles with a maximum permissible laden weight of no more than 4.25 tonnes, where the weight exceeding 3.5 tonnes is caused solely by the additional weight of the zero-emission drive technology. Since April 2022, various exemptions have applied to the use of these vehicles in domestic transport, and since October 2026, they are largely subject to the same regulations as those for light vehicles. However, they will continue to be recorded as heavy vehicles in the vehicle registers. In the transport statistics, the following therefore applies for these vehicles:
- In the road vehicle statistics, which provide information on new registrations and total vehicle stock, they are listed as heavy vehicles in line with the vehicle register (unless otherwise stated).
- In the freight transport statistics, which show vehicle use (kilometres covered, transport performance etc.), they are treated as light vehicles in accordance with the applicable operating regulations.
