China Medium and Heavy Duty Truck Market Overview, 2030

The China medium and heavy-duty truck market has undergone a sharp technological transformation since 2021, triggered by the rollout of China VI-b emission standards and new energy vehicle policies under the 14th Five-Year Plan. Historically dominated by diesel trucks, the sector now includes battery electric, plug-in hybrid, and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles backed by state-level mandates. Key product advancements include battery-swapping trucks with sub-five-minute exchange times, regenerative braking systems, cloud-based predictive diagnostics, and hydrogen fuel cell systems capable of operating in sub-zero temperatures. Government regulations such as the China VI standard require particulate filters, selective catalytic reduction (SCR), and real-world driving emission (RDE) monitoring. The MIIT mandates real-time GPS-linked OBD compliance and fuel consumption standards that combine emissions and energy efficiency. Regional differences exist Beijing and Guangdong implement earlier and stricter enforcement than inland provinces. Tax credits and financial subsidies are available under the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Industrial Development Plan, especially for battery electric and hydrogen-powered trucks. Central and municipal governments influence competition by promoting local OEMs through procurement preferences and infrastructure support. Domestic manufacturing policies encourage use of Chinese-made batteries and powertrains, shaping eligibility for incentives. Import duties on foreign powertrain components affect international firms’ competitiveness. Infrastructure policies support deployment of battery-swapping stations and LNG corridors in eastern provinces. Startups in e-powertrain innovation, lightweight chassis systems, and cloud logistics platforms receive government-backed venture funding.

According to the research report ""China Medium and Heavy-Duty Truck Market Overview, 2030,"" published by Bonafide Research, the China Medium and Heavy-Duty Truck market is anticipated to grow at more than 5.07% CAGR from 2025 to 2030. This market is driven by China’s aggressive push toward clean transportation, large-scale infrastructure spending, and dominant domestic production of EV technologies factors that reshape raw material sourcing, manufacturing, distribution, and competition across the nation’s medium- and heavy-duty truck landscape. Raw materials such as high-strength steel, battery-grade lithium-ion cells, and electric motors are sourced primarily from domestic or nationalized supply chains, yet reliance on rare-earth magnets and semiconductors creates significant sourcing risks amid U.S. and EU trade restrictions. Factories operated by FAW, Dongfeng, CNHTC, and XCMG use modular assembly lines in key regions like Hubei, Jiangsu, and Guangdong, enabling swift shifts between diesel, battery-electric, and CNG truck variants. Distribution networks rely heavily on OEM-owned dealers and fleet leasing partners in logistics hubs across the Yangtze and Pearl River deltas. Sales are surging for electric truck fleets thanks to city-level mandates and grid improvement projects such as CATL’s rollout of 300 battery-swap stations by 2025, enabling sub-five-minute swaps for long-haul operations. While heavy-duty diesel rigs remain common for remote and cross-country freight, zero-emission alternatives are becoming viable due to faster fueling, lower maintenance, and government support. FAW's joint venture with CATL and mergers between state OEMs has intensified competition, enabling vertically integrated supply chains and faster EV scale-up. Leading firms maintain dominance through bundled services including leasing, telematics analytics, charging/swapping partnerships, and TCO-focused pricing. Meanwhile, startups in e-powertrain development, battery-swapping platforms, fleet telematics, and lightweight chassis are attracting venture capital and government grants under China’s NEV strategy. However, new entrants face barriers such as compliance with China VI‑b rules, high certification costs, infrastructure rollout delays, and competition against state-affiliated OEMs.

Medium-duty trucks, ranging from 3.5 to 16 tonnes, are primarily used in regional distribution, postal logistics, waste management, and short-haul industrial transport. These vehicles often operate in densely populated urban zones and are being rapidly electrified under municipal fleet procurement programs, especially in cities like Shenzhen, Hangzhou, and Chengdu. Companies such as BYD, Foton, and Dongfeng have launched medium-duty electric trucks with battery-swapping capabilities and smart telematics to meet green transport mandates. In contrast, the heavy-duty segment, classified above 16 tonnes, supports long-haul logistics, infrastructure development, construction material transport, and industrial freight movement. Heavy-duty trucks in China are traditionally diesel-powered and fitted with SCR systems to comply with China VI-b standards, but adoption of LNG and battery-electric models is accelerating. OEMs like FAW Jiefang, CNHTC (Sinotruk), and XCMG dominate this space, offering Class 8 trucks with real-time emissions tracking, automated manual transmissions (AMTs), and ADAS integration. Ports in Tianjin, Shanghai, and Ningbo increasingly require heavy-duty trucks to be zero-emission or LNG-powered, pushing fleets to shift toward low-emission units. Government policies provide separate incentives based on tonnage class medium-duty trucks often benefit from urban electrification credits and low registration costs, while heavy-duty EVs receive subsidies for range, battery capacity, and charging infrastructure compatibility. As domestic freight demand and e-commerce-driven logistics networks expand, both classes are witnessing increased demand, especially in express delivery, mining logistics, intermodal freight, and cold chain transport. Manufacturers are investing in platform unification to serve both classes with modular electric drivetrains and lightweight materials.

Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) trucks, still dominant in rural freight and long-distance haulage, primarily run on diesel and increasingly on Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), with OEMs like FAW, Dongfeng, and CNHTC producing advanced diesel variants equipped with selective catalytic reduction (SCR), exhaust gas recirculation (EGR), and real-time telematics to comply with China VI-b emissions norms. However, electric propulsion has seen exponential adoption post-2021 due to national policies such as the New Energy Vehicle (NEV) Development Plan and mandates for zero-emission trucks in port cities and logistics parks. Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), led by players like BYD, Geely Commercial Vehicles, and SANY, dominate the electric truck landscape, offering ranges of up to 400 km per charge with fast or battery-swapping technology. These electric trucks are favored in urban logistics, mining, and short-haul segments due to low operational costs and access to subsidies. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), categorized under ""Other"" propulsion types, are emerging in heavy-duty freight and long-distance routes. Supported by pilot zones in Hebei, Guangdong, and Shandong, companies like SAIC and Yutong are trialing hydrogen-powered trucks with onboard fuel cell stacks and 600 km+ range capabilities. The Chinese government offers distinct incentives based on propulsion type, with electric and hydrogen trucks receiving exemption from purchase tax and direct subsidies tied to range and battery/fuel cell specs. Infrastructure availability plays a critical role while electric charging networks are expanding rapidly, hydrogen refueling stations are limited but growing under the national hydrogen energy strategy.

Rigid trucks, which consist of a fixed chassis with the cargo body integrated, are widely used in intra-city goods delivery, public sanitation, and regional transportation. These vehicles dominate short-haul logistics hubs in provinces like Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Sichuan, and are increasingly electrified for compliance with city-level emission control zones. Key manufacturers such as Foton, Dongfeng, and SAIC Maxus produce electric rigid trucks for express delivery and urban logistics, particularly for fleet operators in the last-mile e-commerce segment. Tractor-trailers or articulated trucks, featuring a tractor unit and detachable trailer, serve long-distance freight corridors like Beijing–Shanghai, and coastal-to-inland routes from ports in Tianjin and Shenzhen. This segment forms the backbone of the national freight system and is central to logistics operations in manufacturing and industrial zones. Companies like FAW Jiefang and Sinotruk lead the segment with smart heavy-duty tractor units equipped with ADAS, GPS telematics, and predictive diagnostics. Tipper or dump trucks are critical in infrastructure, mining, and waste management, especially in resource-rich provinces like Shanxi and Inner Mongolia. These trucks are used for transporting sand, gravel, coal, and construction debris, and are now offered in electric and LNG variants by firms like XCMG and Beiben Trucks to meet green construction mandates. Other body types include specialized vehicles such as concrete mixers, refrigeration trucks, fire and rescue trucks, and hazardous material carriers, tailored for specific applications in urban planning and industrial logistics.

Logistics and transportation represent the largest application, with trucks supporting nationwide freight movement across inter-provincial expressways, port connectivity, and e-commerce delivery routes. Major logistics operators like SF Express, JD Logistics, and Deppon rely heavily on tractor-trailers, rigid trucks, and electric medium-duty vehicles for last-mile and regional haulage, especially in economic hubs like Guangdong, Jiangsu, and Zhejiang. In construction and mining, heavy-duty tippers and off-road trucks are widely used in large-scale infrastructure and resource extraction projects across provinces such as Shanxi, Inner Mongolia, and Xinjiang. This segment often employs diesel and LNG-fueled trucks equipped with advanced safety systems, onboard diagnostics, and high ground clearance. Agriculture and forestry applications rely on medium-duty trucks with strong suspension systems and high load flexibility, used for transporting produce, fertilizers, and timber across rural and semi-urban areas. These trucks serve the supply chains in regions like Heilongjiang, Sichuan, and Yunnan, where mechanized farming and logging activities are common. The utility and municipal segment includes trucks used for waste management, road maintenance, street sweeping, and power utility services, with strong adoption of electric and CNG vehicles due to noise and emission restrictions in urban centers like Shanghai and Shenzhen. Other applications cover specialized industrial logistics, emergency response vehicles, and vehicles used in sectors like pharmaceuticals, cold chain, hazardous waste transport, and mobile services. Across all these end-user segments, vehicle selection is driven by cost efficiency, emission standards, payload needs, and local government regulations.

Considered in this report
• Historic Year: 2019
• Base year: 2024
• Estimated year: 2025
• Forecast year: 2030

Aspects covered in this report
• Medium and Heavy Duty Truck Market with its value and forecast along with its segments
• Various drivers and challenges
• On-going trends and developments
• Top profiled companies
• Strategic recommendation

By Vehicle Class
• Medium (3.5 to 16 Tonnes)
• Heavy (16 Tonnes and Above)

By Propulsion
• ICE
• Electric
• Other

By Body Type
• Rigid Trucks
• Tractor-Trailers / Articulated Truck
• Tipper / Dump Trucks
• Other

By end users
• Logistic transportation
• Construction and Mining
• Agriculture and Forestry
• Utility And Municipal
• Other