Trump Cracks Down on Heavy Truck Industry Again!

On September 25th local time, U.S. President Trump announced on his social media platform "Truth Social" that a 25% tariff will be imposed on all imported heavy trucks starting October 1st.

After the imposition of additional tariffs, the cost of importing diesel heavy trucks into the United States will rise, enhancing the price competitiveness of domestic new energy heavy trucks like the Tesla Semi. With the TCO advantage of electric heavy trucks combined with the price increase of imported vehicles due to tariffs, North American logistics companies may accelerate their shift towards domestic electric models.

In addition, the existing production capacity of electric heavy trucks in the United States is limited (for example, Tesla plans to have a production capacity of 50,000 vehicles by the end of 2025), and the concentrated release of demand in the short term will drive order growth for domestic companies.

Regarding the impact on Chinese companies, Chinese new energy heavy truck companies like Weidu Technology had originally planned to deliver hundreds of pure electric heavy trucks to the United States by the end of 2025. However, after the increase in tariffs, the landed cost of their products will increase by approximately 25%. To avoid tariffs, Weidu has already shipped core components to the United States and is cooperating with local companies for assembly.

Moreover, if there is a need to explore the transportation market in the Americas, Mexico could become a stepping stone for Chinese companies. By setting up factories in Mexico and meeting the North American content requirements of the USMCA (such as 75%), exports to the United States can be exempted from tariffs.

The United States has increased import tariffs on heavy trucks, which will temporarily boost the market share of domestic heavy truck companies and promote the localization of the supply chain. However, it has also intensified international trade friction and cost pressures on technology.

Although the actions of the Trump administration have not significantly affected Chinese domestic new energy heavy truck companies, from a long-term perspective, they will inevitably impact the overseas expansion of Chinese new energy heavy trucks. This includes the possibility that domestic and foreign heavy truck companies may intensify efforts to explore alternative markets such as Europe and Southeast Asia in the future, reducing dependence on the U.S. and attempting to decouple.