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Global sales of medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks reached nearly 160,000 in the first half of 2026, up about 75% from the same period in 2025, according to BloombergNEF. China accounted for more than nine in 10 sales, while higher diesel prices are strengthening the operating-cost case for electric trucks; U.S. uptake remains constrained.
Worldwide sales of medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks reached nearly 160,000 in the first half of 2026, about 75% higher than in the first half of 2025, according to research firm BloombergNEF. The record came as diesel prices rose, reinforcing the potential operating-cost savings of battery-electric trucks, though sales remain heavily concentrated in China and the U.S. market is described as nearly stalled.
BloombergNEF’s figures cover medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks sold worldwide during the first six months of 2026. The roughly 75% year-over-year increase builds on a longer trend: the source report says electric truck sales momentum had been growing for several years before the latest rise in fuel prices.
Electric trucks generally have higher upfront prices than diesel models, but can be cheaper to operate and maintain. When diesel becomes more expensive, the fuel savings can shorten the time needed to recoup the initial price difference. The report links recent diesel price spikes to the Iran war, but does not provide a price series or quantify how much of the sales increase was caused by fuel costs.
China accounted for more than nine in 10 global electric truck sales in the first half of 2026, according to BloombergNEF. The firm points to supportive policies and an established battery supply chain. The report also cites Bloomberg News data that Chinese exports of electric tractor trucks in the first half of 2026 were more than double the total exported during all of 2025.
Fuel Costs Strengthen the Fleet Case
For fleet operators, the figures highlight the role of running costs alongside climate policy and vehicle technology. A truck’s purchase price is only one part of its expense over time: diesel prices affect the cost of every mile, while electricity prices, maintenance needs and vehicle utilization shape the economics of switching. Higher fuel costs can make electric models more attractive, especially for companies that can charge reliably and keep vehicles in regular service.
The sales record does not show that electric trucks are already competitive in every market or use. The upfront cost remains a hurdle, and the source provides no comparable total-cost figures by country or vehicle type. The shift also depends on charging access, grid capacity, financing and the routes trucks need to cover. Those factors help explain why global growth can coexist with a near standstill in the U.S. market.
The concentration in China matters beyond its domestic fleet. The country’s production base and growing exports could affect the range and prices of vehicles available elsewhere. But the source does not establish how many exported trucks are reaching customers, or whether export growth will translate into sustained sales across other markets.
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China Leads, Markets Diverge
China’s share of global sales is especially large, but electric trucks are not limited to that market. According to the source report, about one in five trucks sold in China is electric; the share is higher in Norway and Switzerland. These market shares differ from the global sales total and should not be read as a measure of the same thing: one describes the portion of truck sales that are electric in a country, while the other counts worldwide electric truck sales.
The U.S. outlook is markedly different. BloombergNEF describes the country’s battery-electric truck market as at a “near standstill”, citing policy and cost barriers. The report says the Trump administration ended zero-emission vehicle tax credits, froze grants for electric trucks and chargers, and worked with Congress to nullify California’s authority to set its own vehicle emissions standards.
There are also U.S. counterpoints. California has committed billions of dollars in incentives for truck electrification and has more zero-emission heavy-duty trucks on the road than any other state, according to the source. Tesla has said it began mass production of its electric semitruck at a Nevada factory. BloombergNEF industry interviews cited in the report put the truck’s price at $250,000 to $300,000 and describe its price as competitive; the source does not provide an independent price comparison.
““near standstill””
— BloombergNEF
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What Sales Figures Do Not Show
The sales total does not identify how much of the 75% increase came from higher diesel prices, policy support, falling battery costs, new models or other factors. The source links rising diesel prices to the Iran war but gives no specific fuel-price figures, geographic breakdown of the increases or comparison of their effect on purchasing decisions.
It is also unclear from the material how the sales figures are distributed by truck class, buyer type or country beyond China’s dominant share. The report does not specify whether all reported sales represent vehicles delivered to customers, nor does it provide the underlying dataset. Tesla’s production announcement and the price and performance descriptions cited from industry interviews do not establish production volume, customer deliveries or real-world performance.
Future sales will depend on whether higher fuel costs persist and how quickly charging networks, vehicle supply and public incentives develop. The source’s claim of a global upward trend is supported by the first-half sales comparison, but it does not provide a forecast with a quantified outlook.
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Watch Deliveries and Policy Shifts
The next useful indicators will be electric truck sales and deliveries in the second half of 2026, along with diesel and electricity prices in major markets. Those data can help show whether the first-half record represents a sustained acceleration and whether high fuel costs are changing fleet purchasing decisions.
In the U.S., attention will also turn to the availability of grants, charging infrastructure and state-level incentives, as well as whether Tesla’s semitruck enters customer fleets at scale. In China and export markets, follow-up figures on tractor-truck shipments and registrations will clarify whether the export jump is translating into vehicles in service. The source material does not provide release dates for those next data points.
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Key Questions
How many electric trucks were sold worldwide in the first half of 2026?
BloombergNEF reported nearly 160,000 medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks sold worldwide in the first six months of 2026.
How much did sales rise compared with the first half of 2025?
Sales were up by about 75% year over year, according to BloombergNEF.
Which country accounted for the most electric truck sales?
China accounted for more than nine in 10 electric truck sales worldwide in the first half of 2026, according to the source report.
Did higher diesel prices cause the increase in electric truck sales?
The report says rising diesel prices strengthened the case for electric trucks, which can cost less to operate and maintain. It does not quantify how much fuel prices contributed to the sales increase or establish them as its sole cause.
What is happening with electric truck sales in the United States?
BloombergNEF describes the U.S. battery-electric truck market as at a “near standstill”, citing policy and cost headwinds. The source also points to California incentives and Tesla’s reported start of semitruck mass production as developments to watch.
Source: rss
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