The European commercial vehicle industry faces increasing competitive pressure from Chinese electric bus and truck manufacturers. Christian Levin, CEO of Volkswagen subsidiary TRATON, which includes the brands MAN and Scania, warns of a similar development in the truck segment as has already been observed with electric buses. Chinese companies such as BYD, which are already successful in the passenger car sector, are using their advanced battery technology to gain a foothold in Europe. BYD is planning to build a factory in Hungary.

While Volkswagen's TRATON, Daimler Truck, and Volvo are already offering electric trucks in Europe, the sales figures for these vehicles are still low. However, Levin sees the rapidly advancing positioning of Chinese providers as a serious challenge for the established European brands.

In response to growing competition, Scania, a brand of TRATON, expands into China and is building its own truck factory there. It is expected to produce up to 50,000 trucks annually and marks the first independent production site of a foreign truck manufacturer in China. Production is scheduled to start by the end of 2025.

The analysis firm Warburg Research has raised the price target for TRATON shares from 41 to 43 euros due to its strong market position and expected further successes, and continues to recommend buying. In particular, the Scania brand had a strong start to the year, while Navistar, another brand under the TRATON umbrella, is still struggling with supply chain issues, which are expected to be resolved over the course of the year.

These developments demonstrate the dynamics and competitive pressure in the commercial vehicle industry, where European manufacturers increasingly have to assert themselves against the advanced technology and market penetration of Chinese companies.