A two-speed market — and trucks are the fast lane
According to CAAM data, September commercial-vehicle sales at home fell to 235,000 units (−14.6% YoY), while exports surged to 133,000 units (+44.3%). The headline act is truck exports: 118,000 units in September, up 51.5% YoY — 7.2 percentage points above overall CV export growth, and now only 77,000 units below domestic truck sales. On this trajectory, monthly truck exports overtaking domestic sales is a matter of "when", not "if".
Behind the export surge is an industry-wide leap from "product exports" to "rooted systems": localised production, KD assembly, dealer and service networks. September's action stretched from Southeast Asia and Africa into Europe itself. Here is the brand-by-brand rundown.
Foton: 13-millionth vehicle delivered — Esteban Galaxy 9 lands in Spain
At the IAA Hannover show in mid-September, Foton presented its full product matrix and held a ceremony for its 13-millionth vehicle — an Esteban Galaxy 9 that completed real-world testing in Spain and has now broken into the high-end long-haul market there, proof that Chinese premium heavy trucks can compete head-to-head with first-tier international brands. Foton also released its European strategy at the show: having targeted a 40% internationalisation rate by 2030, Europe is the core hub market. The plan builds localised capability on three pillars — product adaptation, integrated ecosystem solutions, and co-built deep local operations — including one European technology centre, sales and service network coverage across major European markets plus local assembly by 2028, and additional local subsidiaries.
FAW Jiefang: J7 Chuangling edition heads to Europe, three big orders in a month
At IAA Hannover, FAW Jiefang premiered its TL.X concept truck and confirmed that the CORTRON CS — the J7 Chuangling edition — will enter the European market for formal delivery. September also brought three export orders: 78 Tiger VR light trucks shipped to Southeast Asia (narrow body, tight turning radius, suited to dense urban and rural roads); a strategic deal with a major Zambian logistics company for 100 JH6 tractors; and a repeat batch delivery of 100 6×4 tractors to Nigeria, engineered for dusty dry seasons and humid rainy seasons, destined for FMCG trunk-haul operations.
Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle: first truck off its Southeast Asia plant
On 25–26 September, Dongfeng Import & Export's overseas M/HCV division held its 2026 Southeast Asia regional conference, the first truck off its localised plant, and a new-product showcase — with partners from Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Pakistan in attendance. The region's M/HCV sales are up 188% year-to-date. The plant is a key pivot of Dongfeng's globalisation strategy: local production shortens delivery cycles, cuts cross-border logistics costs, and builds technology, process, management and talent locally — "same manufacturing roots, shared development" with local partners.
SANY heavy truck: Turkey KD plant's first electric truck — Europe next door
SANY branded September its "Europe expansion month". Beyond IAA Hannover, it held a Turkey market launch with strategic partner FMT on 9 September — releasing the SE636 electric truck, starting its Turkish dealer and service network, and celebrating the first electric truck off its KD plant. From trial-production readiness to first unit took just 15 days, remarkably fast for Turkish manufacturing. The plant targets 2,000 units a year and roughly US$400 million in annual output value, with light trucks and cargo trucks planned to follow. Sitting at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Turkey is both a gateway to Europe and a springboard to Central Asia and the Middle East.
Dongfeng Liuzhou Chenglong: Vietnam KD plant signed — 1,500 units a year
At the 23rd China-ASEAN Expo, Dongfeng Liuzhou signed a strategic agreement with Vietnamese partners to jointly build a KD (knocked-down) plant in Vietnam — planned capacity and sales of 1,500 units a year and roughly RMB 210 million in annual output value. It is Chenglong's first KD plant in ASEAN, marking a shift from vehicle exports to deep localisation. Chinese brands have grown Vietnam's M/HCV sales at high speed for three consecutive years, with 2026 sales expected to reach 60,000 units — and Dongfeng Liuzhou already leads that market in share, making the timing ideal.
SHACMAN: 500-truck strategic order from a Saudi logistics major
In late September, SHACMAN (Shaanxi Automotive) announced a strategic partnership with a large Saudi logistics company and completed a 500-unit heavy-truck signing. The two sides will cooperate across truck sales, market development, after-sales service and parts supply; SHACMAN will back the fleet's efficient operation with its after-sales system and technical support, deepening brand promotion and customer training as they open up the Middle East market together.
Joint Truck: first customer vehicle delivered on the non-Europe corridor
At IAA Hannover, Joint Truck (Chery Commercial Vehicle) unveiled a global integrated transport-capacity solution with two international-market models — the e-Phoenix battery-electric and Cloud-Phoenix range-extender heavy trucks — plus a "vehicle, light, storage, charging, swap" integrated package. It also held the C&C (non-Europe corridor) first customer vehicle handover and strategic signing: from custom requirement to a runnable vehicle took just four months. The partner will deploy a battery-swap station every 450–500 km along the corridor, starting operations with the EREV model and migrating the fleet to full-electric as the swap and solar-storage network matures.
XCMG: strategic deals landing across four European markets
During the Hannover show period, XCMG ran market-deepening work in Germany, Austria, the Netherlands and Turkey simultaneously: a strategic agreement with a major Turkish customer covering product application and localised layout; factory visits in Austria to scope KD localised production; and consensus on logistics cooperation with shipping and logistics companies in the Netherlands. Together these link product introduction, local production and market operations. XCMG also offers turnkey green-transport solutions — vehicle selection, charging planning, telematics and lifecycle services in a "vehicle-charging-network-service" ecosystem.
Skyworth: thousand-unit overseas orders on its Hannover debut
On the opening day of IAA Hannover, first-time exhibitor Skyworth Auto completed concentrated signings with partners from Europe, Latin America, the Middle East and Central Asia — reaching a series of purchase orders and strategic intents covering pure-electric heavy trucks, light trucks, vans, buses and KD local assembly. The package goes beyond vehicles to after-sales systems, remote data-management platforms, financing support and localised operations — a solid step from product export toward technology export and solution export.
Qingling: 50 electric tractors to Vietnam — with a bigger 2027 plan
After its August Africa KD deliveries and the Nigeria KD project, Qingling held the first-batch export of 50 EVC61 electric tractors to Vietnam on 8 September, together with the launch of a cross-border logistics supply-chain platform. After two EVC electric tugs completed trial operations in 2025, this delivery to the Haoxing Group moves Qingling's e-commercial vehicles in Vietnam from pilot validation to scale operation. Qingling has built a dedicated overseas support team — development, quality, after-sales, marketing — with resident service, pre-positioned parts, local training and rapid response. Customer Haoxing plans 10 more e-tractors for short-haul routes and a larger purchase in 2027, while VM won a Vietnamese refuse-truck project ordering 70+ Q-series light trucks.
Beiben: 30 customised high-horsepower trucks enter production for Indonesia
On 4 September, Beiben (North Industries heavy truck) started batch production of a 30-unit order of high-horsepower trucks for Indonesia — a key breakthrough in its overseas strategy. Since receiving the batch-production requirement on 6 May, the company moved fast on powertrain selection, customised upgrades, prototype trials and validation, locking quality in from the source.
Dongfeng pickups: 273 to Saudi Arabia, 500 to Ghana — sprinting into Q4
September brought two big pickup orders for Dongfeng. First, 273 pickups shipped to Saudi Arabia in early September — a batch delivery to a leading Saudi rental company, with duty cycles covering desert long-haul runs and high-frequency turns on complex roads. Then in late September, the overseas pickup team came back from front-line work in Ghana with a 500-unit order, consolidating the West African base; 2027 model configurations for the market have already been confirmed, setting the direction for medium-term growth.
Closing: "whoever wins overseas wins the market"
In a domestic market fighting for every unit of stock demand, overseas has become the decisive battleground — and the September record shows the industry agrees. One more catalyst: the Ministry of Finance and State Taxation Administration have confirmed that from 1 April 2027, the VAT export rebate for new-energy vehicles drops from 13% to 9% (see our policy brief). That should trigger a six-month export rush, with Q4 2026 exports on track to set new records.
Why importers should watch the truck wave
Localisation — KD plants, resident service, pre-positioned parts — is exactly what long-term fleet operators and dealers need: shorter lead times, better parts depth and residual values. We track these moves brand by brand so our customers' sourcing plans and FOB quotes stay ahead of the curve. Ask us about truck and commercial-vehicle availability, documentation and customs support.
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