Daimler Truck CEO Rådström expects Chinese e-truck offensive in Europe

"Sie haben Marktanteile gewonnen, aber sie haben den Markt nicht übernommen. Und wir haben gezeigt, dass wir in der Lage sind, sehr profitabel und wettbewerbsfähig zu sein", said Rådström about European manufacturers in the bus segment. That experience was an indication that the domestic industry could also hold its own in the truck business.

Experience with Chinese bus manufacturers

Daimler Truck could "genauso konkurrieren wie mit amerikanischen, europäischen, koreanischen oder japanischen Wettbewerbern" against Chinese competitors, the executive said. To do so, however, the company would need to work consistently on innovation and costs: "Ich denke, wir müssen konsequent daran arbeiten, innovativ zu bleiben und unsere Kosten zu optimieren." The responsibility lay with the European manufacturers themselves: "Es liegt an uns, vorbereitet zu sein."

The company, headquartered in Leinfelden-Echterdingen near Stuttgart, is meanwhile grappling with significant declines in business. In fiscal year 2025, profit fell 34 percent compared with the previous year, to two billion euros. In the first quarter of 2026, profit even collapsed by 80 percent. Revenue and unit volumes also recently trended downward, with US tariffs and weak demand in North America adding further pressure on business.

Financial figures under pressure

In response to this development, the Dax-listed company launched the "Cost Down Europe" savings program last year. It is intended to reduce ongoing costs on the home continent by more than one billion euros by 2030. As part of the program, around 5,000 jobs are to be cut in Germany.

Savings program and job cuts

Rådström was self-confident, but at the same time stressed that Daimler Truck takes the Chinese competition seriously: "Natürlich nehme man die chinesische Konkurrenz ernst, aber man sei auch selbstbewusst in dem, was man tue", she said. The coming years are likely to show the pace at which Chinese manufacturers actually gain a foothold in the European truck market.

Industry observers see the Chinese approach in buses as a possible scenario for the truck market. Should Chinese manufacturers capture market shares similar to those in the bus segment, competitive pressure in Europe could noticeably increase. Among other things, Daimler Truck is relying on a broad model range and existing service and sales structures to defend its position.