Electric heavy trucks made up 50.3% of China’s heavy-truck sales in September, with sales 34% higher than a year earlier, according to CleanTechnica. In the long-haul big-rig segment, electric trucks reached a 64.5% share. The publication says China is on track to average more than 40% for the year, reaching its 2030 target within months of the figures reported in the article.
The article notes that electric trucks briefly exceeded half of sales in December last year, before their share fell in January following the end of subsidies. It says the latest growth is occurring without those subsidies and describes the market’s upward trend as more stable. Electric trucks’ share has risen from 13.6% in 2024.
Diesel trucks now account for roughly 40% of the market when LNG trucks are included in the comparison, according to the article. CleanTechnica says China’s diesel demand is expected to fall by about 230,000 barrels per day this year, despite increased freight activity, as electric trucks replace diesel models and older vehicles are retired.
The article attributes the shift to the economics of owning and operating electric trucks, arguing that they have become more affordable than diesel models in China. It also points to the country’s charging network expansion and the development of battery-swapping stations. CleanTechnica says it remains unclear whether battery swapping or very high-power charging will prevail in the heavy-truck market.
Looking beyond China, the article says the country accounted for roughly 90% of global electric-truck sales last year. It contrasts China’s projected pace with an expected 2.5% electric share in the European Union this year and less than 1% in the United States. It also suggests Chinese manufacturers could seek growth in other markets, including countries along the Middle Corridor and Belt and Road Initiative partners, while noting that trade policies and local conditions will shape adoption.
Sources: CleanTechnica.