Both Scania and MAN Truck & Bus faced a challenging start to 2025, with first-quarter deliveries and revenues falling year-on-year due to economic uncertainty and operational headwinds. However, both manufacturers recorded a strong rise in order intake, driven by steady demand for new products and services. While Scania benefited from growing bus deliveries and resilience in its service business, MAN reported sharp growth in electric vehicle sales and a 50% surge in incoming orders, raising cautious hopes for a gradual market recovery later this year.
Scania hit by lower truck deliveries and software challenges in Q1 2025
Scania recorded a decline in truck deliveries and revenue in the first quarter of 2025, impacted by economic uncertainty, cautious ordering in late 2024, and challenges with its new vehicle software platform. However, the company reported growth in bus deliveries and a rise in incoming orders, signalling some resilience in a volatile market environment.
According to Scania’s performance summary, sales revenue fell by 11% year-on-year to SEK 48.9 billion, down from SEK 55.1 billion in the first quarter of 2024. The adjusted operating result dropped by 36% to SEK 5.1 billion, while the adjusted return on sales declined to 10.5% from 14.5% in the same period last year.
Truck deliveries totalled 20,663 units, representing a 19% decrease year-on-year. Deliveries of zero-emission trucks rose to 104 units from 46 units a year earlier. In contrast, Scania’s bus business performed strongly, with deliveries up by 43% to 1,581 units, driven by the successful implementation of its updated bus strategy.
Lower truck deliveries were partially offset by a 4% growth in the service business during the quarter. Meanwhile, connected vehicle data indicated a slight decline in global transport activity compared to the first quarter of 2024.
Scania reported a positive trend in order intake, with incoming truck orders rising by 22% to 23,142 units and bus orders increasing by 30% to 1,620 units. The overall book-to-bill ratio stood at 1.11. In Europe, Scania’s truck market share increased slightly to 18.8% from 18.6% a year earlier.
Commenting on the results, Christian Levin, President and CEO of Scania and the TRATON Group, said:
“I am pleased with how we continue to deepen our partnerships with key customers.”
He highlighted initiatives such as the launch of one of Europe’s longest battery-electric truck routes in collaboration with SKF, LOTS Group and Ahréns Åkeri, as well as a pilot partnership with DHL Group on an electric truck featuring a fuel-powered range extender.
Levin noted that scaling up electric vehicles remains a “monumental challenge,” emphasising that only 2% of new trucks sold in the EU are currently zero-emission. He urged policymakers to accelerate infrastructure development and review CO₂ standards before 2027.
On the product side, Scania introduced a new e-machine for its battery-electric bus platform during the quarter, offering four power options and an integrated gearbox aimed at boosting energy efficiency.
Integration within the TRATON Group continues to progress, with Scania entering a more optimised R&D setup and participating in cross-brand projects such as the Common Base Engine and a strategic partnership with Silicon Valley-based software firm Applied Intuition.
MAN reports lower revenues but strong rebound in incoming orders
MAN Truck & Bus has reported a weaker financial performance for the first quarter of 2025, with both sales revenue and unit sales declining year-on-year. However, a significant rise in order intake suggests a cautiously optimistic outlook for the remainder of the year.
In the first three months of 2025, MAN recorded sales revenue of €3.1 billion, a 12% decrease compared to the same period last year. Unit sales fell by 14% to 20,600 vehicles, driven largely by reduced deliveries of trucks and buses to the EU27+3 region. The adjusted operating result dropped to €143 million, down €136 million year-on-year, while the adjusted operating return on sales declined by 3.3 percentage points to 4.6%.
Despite the weaker results, the company reported a strong recovery in incoming orders, which increased by 50% compared to the first quarter of 2024, reaching 27,978 units. The book-to-bill ratio rose to 1.36, indicating that new orders exceeded deliveries by a substantial margin.
Commenting on the results, MAN Truck & Bus Chief Financial Officer Inka Koljonen said:
“In the first quarter, we very clearly felt the effects of weak customer demand on our sales and earnings. In order to further improve our resilience, we must and will work even harder on optimising our costs and cash generation. However, it is encouraging that demand has picked up again slightly. The positive trend in incoming orders is consolidating. It was 50% higher than in the same quarter of the previous year and is now for the first time at a level last seen at the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023. We are cautiously optimistic that the slightly positive growth trend can be sustained over the course of the year. We are therefore also preparing to phase out short-time working at our German locations.”
In the area of electromobility, MAN posted a strong increase in sales, delivering 380 electric buses and trucks in the first quarter – an increase of 178% year-on-year. This was mainly driven by sustained strong demand for electric city buses. The company also delivered a large part of the pre-series production of its new eTruck model to customers, with series production at the Munich plant scheduled to commence in June.
To support the ramp-up, MAN launched its own battery production facility for eTrucks and eBuses in Nuremberg in April, with an investment of around €250 million.
