Electromobility in Heavy Trucks: Scania, Volvo and Chinese Manufacturers Redefine Freight Transport in 2026

The electrification of freight transport is no longer just a promise. Real fleets are on the road, charging in minutes and expanding contracts. Is it worth betting on the electric truck now in Latin America?

For years, electric trucks were the future. In 2026, that future has arrived — at least for the fleets that had the capital and the vision to bet early. What's happening in Europe and North America is a clear signal of where the global industry is headed.

Fast charging is no longer an obstacle

Scania has just launched its Megawatt Charging System (MCS), capable of delivering up to 750 kW of power, allowing a charge from 20% to 80% in roughly 30 minutes. For regional distribution operations or defined routes with charging points at origin and destination, that turnaround is already perfectly workable.

Hight Logistics already operates 25 electric trucks (Volvo VNR + Tesla Semi) with 6 dual charging stations at its facilities.

The major manufacturers accelerate

• Volvo, DAF, Mercedes and MAN are expanding electric truck manufacturing capacity in Europe
• Peterbilt and Kenworth (PACCAR) expanded their electric vehicle lineup with new medium-duty models
• Workhorse secured an order for 100 electric vans from Purolator — its fourth consecutive order
• GLS Canada has already deployed electric yard trucks (Orange EV) in Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg

The battery price per kWh has fallen more than 80% over the last decade and keeps dropping.

China moves aggressively into Europe

More than half a dozen Chinese manufacturers plan to enter the European heavy truck market in 2026. In China, 30% of heavy trucks sold are already electric. In Europe, that figure barely reaches 4%. The gap is a market opportunity that Asian manufacturers are not going to let slip away.

Financial infrastructure: the new enabler

Corpay and Voltempo have just launched an integrated payments + charging platform for fleets in the United Kingdom, targeting a potential market of $20 billion.

And Latin America?

The honest answer: real barriers still remain.

• Charging network: limited outside major cities and industrial corridors
• Upfront cost: electric trucks are still 30-50% more expensive than their diesel equivalents
• Financing: leasing and credit programs for EVs are not as mature in the region

But the global indicators suggest that whoever starts experimenting today — even with just 2 or 3 units on short routes — will be better positioned when the cost curve and the infrastructure reach the tipping point. That point falls between 2027 and 2030 for the region's most developed markets.

What you should be watching

• Battery prices: they drop every quarter. Follow the BloombergNEF index.
• Public tenders: several states in Mexico are starting to require clean-fleet percentages in contracts.
• Tax incentives: accelerated depreciation on zero-emission vehicle investment can make the difference in your ROI calculation.

At The Truck Savers we'll keep tracking the evolution of the electric market so you can make informed decisions.