🪙Cutting Out the Capos!

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Hey VentureTaler - It’s Alex!

Welcome back! Today we are diving into our 19th VentureTale. If you only have 4 minutes and 52 seconds to read, I got you covered!

Quick question: when was the last time you tried to buy a bus? 🚌

If you're like most people, the answer is "never, and why would I?". But here's the thing - while you can buy a car with a few clicks on your phone, the world of commercial vehicles is still living in 1965, operating on handshakes, phone calls and mysterious broker networks that would make a secret society jealous.

The Industry

The global used vehicle market is absolutely massive – we're talking $1.9 trillion in 2024, projected to hit $2.7 trillion by 2030. That's a 6% annual growth rate that makes most startups weep with envy. Some estimates put it even higher at $2.5 trillion today, potentially reaching $4 trillion by 2034.

What's driving this growth?

• New vehicle prices going through the roof thanks to inflation and supply chain chaos

• Digital transformation finally reaching industries that were allergic to the internet

• Electric vehicles creating new used market segments

• Certified pre-owned programs making people trust "previously loved" vehicles

But here's where it gets interesting. The global bus market alone was valued at $18.58 billion in 2024 and is expected to grow at 8.5% annually to reach $35.68 billion by 2032. Electric bus sales grew 30% in 2024, with over 70,000 units sold globally.

In Europe alone, over 100,000 buses change hands annually. These vehicles typically start their journey in Northern Europe and migrate south, changing owners 3-4 times during their lifespan like some sort of mechanical nomads. 🚐

Countries like Italy, Poland, Germany and Spain, with their bustling tourism sectors and sprawling rural areas rely heavily on these hand-me-down buses. And in 2024, European electric bus registrations hit 7,779 units (22% growth), with battery-electric buses outselling diesel models for the first time in Q4. Italy became the EU's largest electric bus market, while Luxembourg, Finland and Denmark achieved over 67% zero-emission bus market share.

All this electric revolution is creating a trickle-down effect, pushing older diesel models into the used market faster than ever. But how exactly do you buy one of these things? 🤔