China National Heavy Duty Truck writes a strong performance in China's commercial vehicle sector

At the end of the year in the Spring City of Jinan, the chill was beginning to set in, but inside the Shandong International Convention and Exhibition Center, the scene was bustling with activity. On December 18, 2025, the Shandong Heavy Industry China National Heavy Duty Truck Group 2026 Partners Conference, themed 'Technology Leading, Full-Chain Win-Win,' grandly opened here. Inside the exhibition hall, nearly 200 exhibits were neatly arranged, together outlining the strong capabilities and complete blueprint of China National Heavy Duty Truck as a 'full-series commercial vehicle group.'

The just-concluded year of 2025 was undoubtedly a memorable year in the history of Sinotruk's development. Against the backdrop of deep industry adjustments and fierce competition, Sinotruk is expected to achieve total revenue of 225 billion yuan and vehicle sales exceeding 450,000 units, representing year-on-year increases of 17% and 25%, respectively. Most notably, Sinotruk's heavy truck production and sales have historically surpassed the 300,000-unit mark, not only maintaining its position as the number one in China for four consecutive years but also rising to the top of the global heavy truck sales rankings.

This impressive report card is the result of coordinated efforts in both domestic and international markets: in the domestic market, sales of heavy trucks, light trucks, vans, and pickups have all grown, with new energy heavy and light trucks seeing year-on-year sales increases of 230% and 390%, achieving success in both high-end and economy segments; on the international front, exporting over 150,000 heavy trucks not only continues the legendary streak of holding the top spot in China’s heavy truck exports for 21 consecutive years, but also sets a new industry record with over 15,000 units exported in a single month.

Brilliant achievements are never accidental; they are rooted in the core competency system of China National Heavy Duty Truck Group (CNHTC), which has been honed over time and is difficult to replicate. As Liu Zhengtao, Party Secretary and Chairman of CNHTC Group, analyzed at a media meeting, this primarily comes from the independent R&D capability across the full range of commercial vehicle products. Relying on national-level R&D platforms and an annual continuous investment of about 3 billion yuan, CNHTC, on the basis of introducing, digesting, and absorbing advanced European technologies, has achieved full independent control of key technologies and industry-leading status. The breakthrough of over 50% real-world thermal efficiency in MC engines is a clear demonstration.

• Secondly, leveraging the full industry chain synergy advantage of Shandong Heavy Industry Group, it has formed strong cost control and rapid response capabilities. From engines and gearboxes to axles, the internal matching of major components not only ensures supply chain security but also maximizes the coordination efficiency of the entire chain from manufacturing to after-sales service, providing customers with optimal total lifecycle cost solutions.
• Thirdly, there is a global steel marketing team of over 2,600 people and an in-depth terminal channel network, with nearly 800 sales outlets in China and more than 140 overseas institutions and nearly a thousand dealer service points, forming comprehensive market coverage.
• Fourth, treating quality as the ultimate pursuit in life, the unwavering chairman's daily morning quality meetings are the most solid institutional guarantee of the 'worry-free for customers' commitment.
• Finally, the first-mover advantage and diversified product layout forged through more than twenty years of global cultivation allow it to calmly balance cyclical fluctuations and excel on the world stage.

These five key elements complement each other, jointly fortifying the moat that sustains China National Heavy Duty Truck Group's leading position.

However, standing at the pinnacle of being number one globally, China National Heavy Duty Truck Group is already looking toward a more distant future. The company deeply understands that future opportunities lie in new tracks created by technological transformation, value competition driven by upgraded market demands, focused development within niche markets amidst industrial restructuring, and rising compliance barriers driven by regulations.

To this end, CNHTC has already made its strategic moves in advance. In the field of new energy, Chief Engineer Ding Weiyun revealed CNHTC's panoramic layout of parallel multi-technology routes, including pure electric, hydrogen fuel cell, and hybrid powertrains. From a full-series pure electric product matrix, to actively developing hydrogen internal combustion engine technology, and to various range-extending solutions aimed at completely addressing range anxiety, CNHTC is leveraging a complete industrial chain to accelerate the localization of core technologies such as electric drive axles, integrated machine electronic controls, and intelligent thermal management, striving to transform technical strength into product competitiveness.

Intelligentization is another leading focus running alongside. At this conference, the innovative release of CNHTC's advanced intelligent service system 'Xiao Zhong 1.0' integrates AI large models, opening a new chapter in intelligent lifecycle vehicle services. CNHTC is promoting this in stages, aiming to maintain leadership on the core battleground of safety and efficiency.

Even in the traditional energy sector, CNHTC is far from being passively defensive. By increasing diesel engine thermal efficiency to 51% and integrating cutting-edge technologies such as intelligent AMT systems, the traditional powertrain is evolving toward 'high efficiency and low carbon.' Furthermore, through deep integration with intelligent technologies, CNHTC continues to generate irreplaceable value in niche markets where long-haul routes and complex operating conditions remain essential.

Looking ahead to the upcoming year of 2026, CNHTC has set clear goals, with a domestic vehicle sales target of 340,000 units. Wang Dechun, Deputy General Manager of CNHTC, pointed out that the path to achieving this will completely shift from simply 'competing on price' to deeply 'competing on value,' focusing on six key dimensions: product, channel, policy, brand, service, and ecosystem, while deepening collaboration with partners. In terms of products, the company is committed to building a matrix that is 'most fuel-efficient, most gas-efficient, and most electricity-efficient'; in terms of brand, it has established a multi-layered complementary brand structure led by Shandeka (global high-end) and Howo (global wealth creation classic), while continuously polishing the 'Family-Like Service' hallmark; in terms of ecosystem, it is expanding the entire value chain including financial leasing, energy replenishment services, and remanufacturing, forming a closer 'community of shared destiny' with customers and partners.

Although the grand event will eventually come to an end, the trumpet for a new journey has already sounded. CNHTC is using technology as its pen and win-win cooperation as its ink to write a magnificent chapter of a Chinese brand advancing toward world-class status.