According to data from the National Association of Road Implement Manufacturers (Anfir), the trailer industry registered a 2.4% decline in registrations during the January–May 2025 period, totaling 60,495 units compared to 62,001 units in the same period of 2024.
The most significant contraction occurred in the heavy-duty segment—trailers and semi-trailers—which registered 30,304 units, reflecting an 18% year-over-year decrease.
MOSCOW—(TASS) Sales of heavy trucks in Russia in 2025 may decline by 23% year-on-year to 85,000 units, Mikhail Matasov, Deputy General Director of the Russian truck producer Kamaz, told reporters. “The market will be poor in 2025. We currently estimate it at 85,000 units against 110,000 this year. We think that 85,000 is even optimistic,” he said.
Matasov noted that the decline in sales can be attributed to a decrease in demand for cargo transportation.
“If there is no construction, then there will be fewer dump trucks (needed). We also provide trucks for cargo transportation industry – if there are fewer of them, then there will be fewer haulage trucks,” he explained.
“The plan for 2025 is, in my opinion, 10,000 units. But we don’t know if there will be that many, because Chinese brands have large warehouse stocks,” Matasov added.
In the last decade or so, the market apparently has decided that hydrogen-powered cars do not make sense, and they can’t compete in the market as a result. Despite this situation, there are still plenty of discussions, trials, and vehicle development programs for hydrogen-powered trucks.
In theory, hydrogen can compete in the truck market, but in practice, it’s an entirely different matter. Battery technology keeps improving rapidly, and solutions for battery-electric trucks are becoming clear. If battery costs keep coming down — as expected — and proper charging hubs for heavy-duty electric vehicles get developed, battery-electric trucks seem set to win the day.
Mahindra & Mahindra’s acquisition of a 58.96% stake in SML Isuzu for ₹555 crore marks a calculated push to expand its presence in the intermediate and light commercial vehicle (ICV and LCV) segments. With minimal exposure in the bus segment and a modest 3% market share in >3.5T CVs, this move is structured to unlock operational synergies, enhance platform capabilities, and fill existing product portfolio gaps.
Mahindra & Mahindra’s (M&M agreement to acquire a controlling stake in SML Isuzu comes at a pivotal point in the Indian commercial vehicle (CV) industry, where demand is gradually recovering post-COVID and the LCV and ICV segments are projected to lead growth. The $64,824,000 USD (₹555 crore) investment—targeted via the purchase from Sumitomo Corporation and Isuzu Motors Ltd—positions M&M to double its CV market share from 3% to 6% immediately, with stated ambitions of reaching 10–12% by FY31 and 20% by FY36.
Last month, China National Heavy Duty Truck Group and Toyota Motor Corporation signed a strategic cooperation agreement to develop hydrogen powered commercial vehicles.
China is a market with great potential for the promotion and popularization of hydrogen energy, and long-haul heavy-duty logistics vehicles are an important application scenario that highly matches hydrogen energy.
Toyota Motor Corporation possesses world-leading hydrogen fuel cell technology, and China National Heavy Duty Truck Group is a leading enterprise in China’s commercial vehicle industry. The hydrogen fuel cell tractor jointly developed by the two parties has already been delivered to the market in batches.
Both Volvo and International Truck have initiated layoffs this year due to sluggish orders and high production capacity in preparation for a potential 2026 truck pre-buy ahead of the phase 3 GHG Emission Regulations scheduled for implementation in 2027.
Volvo Trucks North America plans to lay off up to another 350 workers from a Virginia plant as part of job cuts affecting up to 980 employees across the country since the beginning of the year.
Employees at the New River Valley plant in Dublin, Virginia, were notified of the workforce reduction this month, and their last day at the facility will be June 27, Volvo spokesperson Janie Coley said.
Carlos Briganti, Managing Director South America Operations for Power Systems Research (PSR), participated in a major article on the future of diesel in trucks and buses in the March 2025 issue of AUTODATA magazine.
AUTODATA is a leading provider of technical information and software solutions for the automotive aftermarket. AUTODATA specializes in delivering up-to-date, manufacturer-verified technical information used for servicing, maintaining, and repairing cars, light commercial vehicles, and motorcycles.
A study by Power Systems Research published in the magazine notes that fossil fuel and its renewable variants such as biodiesel and HVO will dominate the cargo and passenger transport scene for many years to come.
As reported in AUTODATA, the PSR survey indicates that diesel, with small portions of a mixture of biodiesel and HVO, is now responsible for driving 99% of trucks and buses in Brazil, a percentage that drops to 94% in the European Union, 89% in the United States – and it is not because more low-emission alternatives are used there, but because 7% of the fleet is powered by gasoline. Another 3% run on natural gas and only 1% correspond to electric models. China is more advanced with 81% diesel, 10% gas and 9% electric. PSR
(Click the Read More» link to view the report in the full post.)
Heavy truck production in Brazil fell 3.7% in Q1 2025 versus the same period in 2024, totaling 16,700 units, according to Anfavea. The decline is attributed to high interest rates (Selic), which have limited fleet renewal despite a record grain harvest.
Heavy truck sales also dropped 7% in the quarter, with 13,000 units registered.
OEM Performance – Heavy Trucks: Volvo: 3,900 units sold (+4% YoY); Scania: 3,500 units (−17%), and Mercedes-Benz: 2,100 units (−13.5%)
Despite the contraction in the heavy segment, total truck production grew 8.2%, reaching 31,700 units. The Medium-duty truck segment production was 8,900 units (+28.5%) and the Light-duty truck production was 4,500 units (+10%)
Vehicle exports from Brazil grew by nearly 41% in the first quarter of 2025. Brazil automotive industry shipped 115,600 units abroad, compared to 82,200 vehicles during the same period in 2024. Only in March, 38,900 vehicles were exported, up 19% year-over-year.
The increase was boosted by higher export volumes to Argentina, which accounted for 58% of Brazil’s vehicle exports in Q1 2025. A total of 67,630 vehicles were sent to Argentina— up 120% from the same period last year.
It appears the two main goals for implementing US trade tariffs: to bring more manufacturing jobs to United States and to negotiate more favorable trade agreements to reduce the trade deficit with the rest of the world, could negatively impact the North American medium and heavy truck market. In 2024, the United States trade deficit was $918.4 billion which was a 17% increase from 2023.
April 9, President Trump paused his reciprocal tariffs on most countries for 90 days. The tariffs for most countries would be reduced to 10% during this period. Canada and Mexico will not be impacted by the 10% tariff for goods trading under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. However, tariffs on imported Chinese goods were raised to 145% after the Chinese implemented retaliatory tariffs on goods exported into China from the United States.