Vehicle class N1: what it includes and where the limits lie
As of: September 11, 2026
The vehicle class N1 includes motor vehicles for the carriage of goods with a maximum permissible mass of up to 3.5 tonnes. The classification is derived from Regulation (EU) 2018/858 on the approval and market surveillance of motor vehicles, which replaced the framework directive 2007/46/EC. Vehicles over 3.5 tonnes up to 12 tonnes fall into class N2.
What falls under N1
Panel vans, chassis cabs, dropside trucks, refrigerated vehicles and workshop vehicles up to 3.5 tonnes maximum permissible gross weight belong to class N1. The classification is based on the maximum permissible gross weight and the purpose of goods transport, not on the design.
The exception for emission-free vehicles
A special rule applies to alternatively powered vehicles: the permissible maximum mass may exceed 3.5 tonnes without changing the driving licence class, provided that the additional weight is due to the drive technology. In Germany, this rule applies nationally up to 4,250 kilograms. With Directive (EU) 2025/2205, it will be standardised across Europe.
Why the class is important for procurement
The vehicle class determines driving license requirements, speed limits, driving time regulations, toll obligations, and inspection intervals. A vehicle that exceeds class limits during body configuration changes the requirements for the driving staff. Body weight and payload are therefore not just a question of loading, but a question of personnel.
Relation to HEERO Motors
The new generation of the HEERO brand is designed as an N1 class vehicle, in weight variants of 3.5 and 4.25 tons.
Questions and answers
What does vehicle class N1 mean?
Goods vehicle with a maximum permissible mass of up to 3.5 tonnes.
From when is a van considered a truck?
From a permissible maximum weight of over 3.5 tonnes, a freight vehicle falls into class N2 and is considered a truck under traffic law, with the exception of the special rule for alternatively fueled vehicles up to 4.25 tonnes.
What is the difference between N1 and N2?
The permissible gross vehicle weight: N1 up to 3.5 tonnes, N2 over 3.5 to 12 tonnes.
Sources and status
Regulation (EU) 2018/858. Federal Motor Transport Authority, type-approval granting. Created 11.09.2026. Updated 11.09.2026. Checked 11.09.2026.