KATHMANDU: Electric trucks accounted for more than half of China’s heavy truck sales in September 2026, marking a major shift in the country’s commercial vehicle market. The rapid adoption of battery-powered trucks is also contributing to a decline in diesel consumption.
According to industry data, China sold 33,100 electric heavy trucks in September, accounting for 50.3% of total heavy truck sales. This represents a 37% increase compared to the same month last year, even as the overall heavy truck market contracted by 21%.
The shift has accelerated significantly over the past two years. New-energy trucks accounted for only 13.6% of China’s heavy truck sales in 2024. Their market share increased to 28.9% in 2025, when sales reached 231,100 units.
Between January and September 2026, China sold 226,400 new-energy heavy trucks, up 64% year-on-year. These vehicles accounted for 38.1% of total heavy truck sales during the period.
In the tractor truck category, which includes heavy vehicles used for long-distance freight transportation, electric models accounted for 64.5% of September sales.
Lower operating costs are one of the main reasons Chinese transport companies are switching to electric trucks.
A study by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) and China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC) found that battery-electric trucks can be around 19% cheaper per tonne-kilometer under favorable operating conditions.
However, the cost advantage depends on annual mileage and payload requirements. Battery weight and lower utilization can reduce the financial benefits.
Charging time is another challenge for electric heavy trucks. China is addressing this through battery-swapping infrastructure, allowing trucks to replace depleted battery packs within minutes.
The latest standardized battery packs offer capacities of 432 kWh and 513 kWh and can be replaced in around five minutes.
Chinese manufacturers dominate the electric heavy truck market. XCMG led the segment in 2025 with a 15.4% market share, followed by SANY and FAW Jiefang. The three manufacturers together accounted for 42.9% of sales. CATL supplied around 60% of the batteries used in the segment.
Electric trucks are also gaining ground against liquefied natural gas (LNG) models, which were previously considered an alternative to diesel.
LNG trucks accounted for nearly 30% of China’s heavy truck market in 2024. However, their share has declined as electric models become more competitive.
The growing use of electric and LNG trucks is contributing to a sharp decline in China’s diesel consumption.
According to the Rhodium Group, China’s diesel consumption peaked in April 2023 at around 4.7 million barrels per day. It declined to approximately 4 million barrels per day by April 2025.
Despite the transition, electric trucks are still a relatively small part of China’s total heavy truck fleet. They are expected to account for around 8% of vehicles on the road by the end of 2026.
