The Vietnamese truck market is booming: Chinese brands are rising strongly

The Vietnamese truck market is booming: Chinese brands are rising strongly while the market shares of Japan and South Korea are under pressure

In 2025, when global economic growth was under pressure, the Vietnamese truck market defied the trend and rose, becoming a "star market" in the commercial vehicle sector in Southeast Asia. Data shows that from January to May 2025, the total sales volume of trucks in Vietnam reached 24,234 units, surging by 20% year-on-year.  Among them, Chinese brands, with their precise market strategies and product advantages, are reshaping the market landscape that was once dominated by brands from Japan, South Korea, Russia and the United States.

The value of the incremental market is becoming more prominent, and lightweight has become a core feature

 The sustained high growth of Vietnam's economy has injected strong impetus into the truck market. In the first quarter of 2025, its GDP growth rate reached 6.93%, and large-scale infrastructure investment directly boosted the demand for commercial vehicles. Looking at the specific data, the sales volume in May alone was 5,343 units, representing a year-on-year growth of 9%. Meanwhile, the cumulative sales volume from January to May increased by 20% compared with the same period in 2024, demonstrating vigorous market vitality. A thorough analysis of the sales structure reveals that the trend towards light weighting is particularly prominent. the combined sales volume of three types of vehicles, namely pickup trucks, small trucks under 5 tons and light trucks of 5 to 10 tons, was 19,802 units, accounting for 81.7% of the total sales volume. This pattern is highly compatible with the current transportation situation in Vietnam - most national highways are two-way two-lane, and in the old urban areas of cities, the alleys are narrow and there are many sections with width restrictions. Light vehicles with short wheelbases and small turning radii have more practical advantages. Among them, pickup trucks account for 38.4%, meeting the needs of individual business owners for both business and family use. Small trucks account for 23.7% and dominate the transportation of agricultural and sideline products in urban and rural areas. Light trucks account for 19.6% and undertake the heavy responsibility of urban logistics distribution.

China's heavy trucks are leading the way in a "hidden" manner, and structural opportunities continue to expand

It is worth noting that in Vietnam's truck classification, the "Other Trucks" category holds a significant position with a market share of 18.2%, and the vast majority of these are heavy-duty trucks exported from China. With its long-term in-depth cultivation of the Southeast Asian market, Chinese heavy trucks have achieved an "invisible lead" in Vietnam's infrastructure sector.

Looking ahead, the growth potential of Vietnam's truck market will be further unleashed. In the country's national innovation and development strategy advanced until 2030, major infrastructure projects such as the north-south high-speed railway, the national expressway network, and ports and airports are accelerating their implementation, which will continue to drive the demand for engineering vehicles such as dump trucks and mixer trucks. This is precisely the area where China's heavy trucks have an advantage. Meanwhile, under the wave of new energy transformation, logistics enterprises, ports and public transportation systems in Vietnam have begun to pilot pure electric commercial vehicles. New energy buses of Chinese brands such as Yutong and BYD have achieved commercial operation, laying the foundation for the new energy layout of truck products.

From the precise coverage of light vehicles to the "hidden dominance" of heavy trucks, Chinese truck brands are building multi-dimensional competitive advantages in the Vietnamese market by relying on product compatibility and technological accumulation. With the release of infrastructure dividends and the advancement of new energy transformation, China's commercial vehicle market position in Southeast Asia is expected to be further consolidated.