Motor vehicle for goods transport with a maximum permissible laden weight of no more than 3.5 tonnes. A distinction is made between vans and light road tractors.
One exception is battery-electric or 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. As they exceed the 3.5-tonne threshold, they are officially considered heavy vehicles and are also recorded as such in the registers. However, 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. 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.
