Commercial vehicle exports should further pursue 'value growth'

By 2025, the total export volume of commercial vehicles in China will reach 1.06 million units, a year-on-year increase of 17.2%, reaching the milestone of one million units for the first time. In the first quarter of 2026, China's commercial vehicle exports were 327900 units, a year-on-year increase of 50.28%. The achievement of this result is the result of the combination of cyclical adjustments in the domestic commercial vehicle industry and the release of overseas demand. On the one hand, the domestic market has shifted from incremental expansion to stock competition, and enterprises need to seek new growth opportunities; On the other hand, many countries and regions overseas are continuously releasing demand for commercial vehicles due to infrastructure construction, logistics upgrades, public transportation updates, and mining transportation renovations.

From the perspective of export structure, the "going global" of Chinese commercial vehicles is no longer limited to traditional trucks and buses. Different energy types of heavy-duty trucks, light trucks, pickup trucks, mining trucks, and special-purpose vehicles have all seen demand growth. Especially in scenarios such as ports, mines, parks, and urban distribution, the full lifecycle cost advantage brought by electrification and intelligence is becoming an important lever for Chinese enterprises to open up overseas markets.

But the expansion of export scale does not mean that the globalization capability has matured. Commercial vehicles are different from general consumer goods. Customers purchase vehicles not only based on price, but also on whether they can continue to operate, be repaired in a timely manner, and reduce total costs. Selling a car is just the beginning, and the subsequent supply of parts, maintenance response, financial support, driver training, and operational management are the key factors determining whether customers will repurchase.

The author believes that the "going global" of Chinese commercial vehicles should not only be calculated based on sales volume, but also on long-term accounts. In the past period, Chinese commercial vehicle companies have made breakthroughs in overseas markets by relying on strong manufacturing capabilities, complete industrial chains, and high cost-effectiveness. But if companies only understand "going global" as selling domestic products abroad, ignoring differences in regulations, operating conditions, channels, and services, it will be difficult for them to establish a long-term foothold in overseas markets.

In my opinion, the competition for commercial vehicles going global is shifting from product competition to system competition.

System competition is first reflected in localization capability. There are significant differences in road conditions, load habits, emission requirements, financial environment, and maintenance conditions among different countries. The same car is useful in China, but it does not necessarily mean it is suitable overseas. Enterprises must conduct product validation and adaptive development based on the target market, and include special working conditions such as high temperature, high cold, high humidity, high dust, and long slopes in advance for testing, rather than passively catching up on problems after they arise.

System competition is also reflected in service capabilities. Once commercial vehicles are shut down, losses are often calculated on a daily basis. The biggest concern for overseas customers is not that the vehicle has a malfunction, but that there is no one to repair it, no parts, and the repair cycle is uncontrollable. Chinese brands need to enhance their overseas recognition not only by the speed of new car delivery, but also by the speed of service response. Spare parts storage, maintenance outlets, technician training, remote diagnosis, and quality traceability should all be the basic configurations for "going global".

At a deeper level, Chinese commercial vehicle companies need to shift from selling products to selling solutions. The requirements for vehicles are not the same for mining transportation, port transportation, urban distribution, long-distance trunk lines, and public transportation. Whoever can provide vehicles, energy replenishment, maintenance, finance, capacity management, and data services around specific scenarios is more likely to increase customer stickiness and obtain more stable profits.

The external environment is also reminding companies that extensive "going global" is difficult to sustain. Some overseas markets are constantly increasing their requirements for carbon footprint, battery regulations, data security, origin, local procurement, etc., and some countries' tariff policies and industrial protection measures are also changing. For Chinese companies, globalization is not simply about chasing high growth markets, but about establishing compliance and risk resistance capabilities in uncertain environments. Compliance first, certification first, and supply chain diversification should be the basic actions for enterprises to "go global".

At the same time, we should also be wary of low price competition. The advantages of Chinese commercial vehicles should not be simplified as cheap. If a company excessively competes with prices in overseas markets, it will not only compress its own profits, but also weaken after-sales investment, ultimately affecting brand image. The truly sustainable 'going global' of the commercial vehicle industry is not about lowering prices, but about improving reliability, economy, and service capabilities.

The continuous breakthrough in China's commercial vehicle export sales is the result of the industry's strength enhancement and also a new starting point. Next, the competition among car companies is not about who can "go global" faster, but about who can walk more steadily; It's not who has more short-term orders, but who can form channels, services, brands, and ecological capabilities locally.

From "going out" to "going in", and then to "staying", Chinese commercial vehicles still need to cross multiple barriers including regulations, services, finance, talent, and branding. The export data is worthy of recognition, but in the long run, only by consolidating overseas business capabilities can Chinese commercial vehicles "go global" from scale growth to value growth.