Italian automotive leasing market grows as commercial‑vehicle incentives focus on electric models

A meeting in Rome organised by Fleet&Mobility highlighted a positive outlook for Italy’s long‑term car leasing (NLT) sector. The market was valued at €45.3 billion in 2025, with fleet sizes expanding and corporate demand rising alongside public‑administration and private customers. Prices for leased vehicles have risen from €18,700 in 2013 to €31,881 in 2025, and Chinese manufacturers increased their share by 8.5 %. Participants noted an ageing vehicle fleet and higher fuel consumption, but overall leasing activity remains robust.

Separately, the Italian government issued a decree allocating €180 million in incentives for light commercial vehicles (categories N1 and N2). Forty percent of the funds (€72 million) are reserved for zero‑emission electric or hydrogen models. The sector faces a sales slump, with June registrations down 12.1 % year‑on‑year and a 4.3 % decline in the first half of 2026. UNRAE has urged rapid implementation of the programme, warning that the “announcement effect” is depressing the market.

Both developments illustrate contrasting dynamics in Italy’s automotive industry: strong growth in long‑term leasing versus a stalled commercial‑vehicle market that relies on targeted incentives to revive electric adoption.