The picture remains mixed. Manufacturers continue to point to cost pressure, geopolitical uncertainty and uneven fleet renewal patterns across countries. Battery-electric vehicles are expanding quickly, but from a small base, meaning their share of total sales is still limited.
Daimler Truck: stronger quarter, but the half-year ends slightly lower
Daimler Truck closed the second quarter of 2026 with deliveries of 86,707 vehicles, up 8% year on year (from 80,607).
Mercedes-Benz Trucks was the main growth driver. In the second quarter, the brand delivered 38,970 vehicles, a 10% increase compared with the same period a year earlier. Across the first half of 2026, Mercedes-Benz Trucks delivered 73,456 vehicles, up 11% year on year.
Despite that performance, Daimler Truck as a whole ended the first six months of 2026 down 1%, with 155,556 vehicles delivered versus 156,365 a year earlier.
The group’s half-year result was held back by a weaker start to the year in North America and a 16% drop in Daimler Buses sales.
From 1 April 2026, the group’s figures reflect only continuing operations following the transfer of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation into the ARCHION structure.
Battery-electric deliveries grew faster than the group’s overall volume. In the second quarter, Daimler delivered 1,405 electric trucks and buses, up 21% year on year. Over the first half of the year, deliveries reached 2,147 units, an increase of 23%.
Scania increases deliveries and improves profitability
Scania ended the second quarter of 2026 with growth in revenue, deliveries and orders. Sales revenue increased by 6% to SEK 53.1 billion, compared with SEK 49.9 billion a year earlier. During the period, the manufacturer delivered 26,274 vehicles, 7% more than in the second quarter of 2025. Orders grew even faster, increasing by 41% to 28,743 vehicles.
Operating profitability also improved. The adjusted operating margin reached 11.6%, compared with 9.8% in the corresponding period of the previous year.
Scania states that the results were supported by higher truck deliveries, a favourable sales mix, cost-reduction measures and a growing services business. These factors more than offset increased research and development expenditure and the costs associated with launching the company’s new industrial complex in China.
The significant increase in truck orders was driven primarily by activity in Brazil, supported by the Move Brazil financing programme, as well as by the gradual increase in sales of NEXT ERA tractor units in China. The manufacturer also reported that it had reduced the supply-flow problems experienced at the beginning of the year.
Scania delivered very strong results in the second quarter. This is particularly encouraging amid macroeconomic and geopolitical uncertainty and increasingly intense competition in the global market,” commented Christian Levin, President and CEO of Scania and the TRATON Group.
Deliveries of zero-emission vehicles also increased. In the second quarter, Scania delivered 265 such vehicles to customers, compared with 117 a year earlier. The number of orders for zero-emission models rose from 156 to 321 units.
Despite the high growth rate, however, zero-emission vehicles accounted for only around 1% of Scania’s total deliveries during the period.
MAN posts double-digit growth in truck sales
MAN Truck & Bus reported an 8% rise in total deliveries in the first half of 2026, reaching around 51,000 vehicles. Trucks accounted for the largest share of that result: MAN delivered around 32,000 trucks, up 10% compared with the same period last year.
Van deliveries increased by 6% to nearly 16,000 units. Bus deliveries edged up by 2% to around 3,300 vehicles, while engine sales rose by 17%.
Demand improved across many European markets, while Germany lagged behind the broader trend. MAN said conditions still vary significantly between countries.
The fastest growth came from fully electric vehicles. MAN’s sales in this segment rose 37% to roughly 1,100 units, including about 600 electric trucks and more than 500 electric buses.
The sales development shows that our broad product portfolio is performing well in a challenging market environment. At the same time, battery-electric vehicles are becoming increasingly important for our customers, said Friedrich Baumann, MAN Truck & Bus board member responsible for sales and customer solutions.
In the second half of 2026, MAN plans to add more electric variants for urban and regional transport.
The heavy-duty eTGX and eTGS in a typical 4×2 tractor configuration are expected to offer around 570 kilometres of range. The eTGM, aimed at urban and regional distribution, is expected to reach up to 500 kilometres. By the end of the year, deliveries are also due to begin for the electric coach MAN Lion’s Coach E, with a range of up to 650 kilometres.
Volvo boosts profitability and upgrades its European outlook
Volvo Group increased operating profit by 35% in the second quarter of 2026, to 13.5 billion Swedish kronor, compared with 9.96 billion Swedish kronor a year earlier.
Organic sales grew by 7%, with vehicles and services increasing at a similar pace. The result was supported by lower spending, including reduced research and development costs, which helped offset the impact of tariffs in the United States as well as higher transport and materials costs.
For Europe’s transport market, Volvo also raised its forecast for the region. The group now expects 315,000 new truck registrations in Europe in 2026, up from the 310,000 it projected in April.
Volvo Group chief executive Martin Lundstedt said demand in Europe and South America continued to rise gradually, while North America saw a particularly sharp increase in the order book.
Europe remains a core sales pillar
Across the updates, Europe continues to be a crucial market for major truck manufacturers and delivered comparatively solid results in the first half of the year. Mercedes-Benz Trucks increased sales by 11%, MAN by 10%, and Volvo raised its European registration forecast.
Demand is improving, but manufacturers continue to highlight major differences between countries and segments. Germany remains below the pace seen in parts of Europe, and companies are staying cautious amid cost concerns, shifts in trade policy and ongoing geopolitical uncertainty.
Electrification is gaining speed, but from a small base
One common thread in the Daimler and MAN figures is the rapid expansion of battery-electric sales. In the first half of 2026, Daimler increased electric deliveries by 23%, while MAN grew by 37%. In both cases, the electric segment expanded faster than overall company sales.
Even so, volumes remain modest. At Daimler Truck, electric trucks and buses accounted for around 1.4% of total group sales in the first half. MAN sold about 600 electric trucks out of roughly 32,000 total truck deliveries.
Further progress in this segment will depend on purchase costs, charging infrastructure, energy prices and the business case for specific transport applications, including efforts to help hauliers prepare for zero-emission fleets.
North America remains harder to read
At Volvo Group, truck orders in North America jumped 122% in the second quarter after several years of weaker demand. Volvo cautioned, however, that the stronger order intake has not yet fully translated into retail sales, which in the second quarter remained below the level seen a year earlier.
Daimler Truck increased Trucks North America deliveries by 8% in the second quarter, to 41,687 vehicles, but the segment ended the first half with an 8% decline.
The North American numbers suggest a potential improvement in the second half of 2026, but for now the region remains less predictable than Europe.
Second half: cautious optimism, not a full rebound
The second-quarter and half-year results point to improvement, but not a complete market turnaround.
Daimler Truck strengthened in the second quarter, even though the half-year ended slightly lower. MAN expanded both total volume and truck sales. Volvo improved profitability and lifted its European forecast. The most encouraging signals are coming from manufacturers’ European operations, although growth remains uneven.
Overall, the first half of 2026 brought more reasons for optimism than the same period a year earlier. Whether that trend continues will depend on carriers’ financial health, access to funding and the pace of fleet replacement, as well as how uncertainty continues to shape the road freight market.
