Trasporti, flotte in crescita, i cinesi pronti a crescere sul mercato Ue

The Chinese are poised for expansion in the European market, despite the "conquest" phase not yet begun, according to a Bain & Company study of over 500 fleet operators in the UK, Germany, France, Poland, and Italy. The sector remains optimistic about growth and open to change, with Italian operators in particular expecting fleet expansion.

Diesel remains central in the short term, but electric vehicles are gaining ground in the medium to long term, reaching an expected 32% share by 2035, essentially in line with diesel's 31%. The European Truck Market Outlook 2026 shows a largely positive outlook, with 60% expecting fleet growth in the next three years, while less than 10% predict a reduction.

Italy leads the ranking, possibly due to the highest average age of vehicles in circulation. Volvo, Scania, and Mercedes-Benz are leaders in the Net Promoter Score, but rankings vary by country and client segment. On average, domestic markets see brands with around 20 more NPS points than export markets. One in three operators is inclined to change brands, generally more open to considering electric truck purchases.

Over a third of operators have already had contacts with Chinese producers and are willing to buy in the next three years, with the interest being greater among medium-sized operators driven by cost considerations. According to operators, only half of the new trucks will remain internal combustion by 2030 and about a third by 2035, with hybrid interest waning.

The main barriers to electric truck adoption are limited public charging infrastructure, high initial prices, less operational flexibility, and long charging times.