Mexican Heavy Truck Industry Needs Level Playing Field: ANPACT

Q: The heavy-duty vehicle market in Mexico is showing contrasting signs. How do you interpret these trends, and what do they reveal about the industry's position?

A: The sector saw a significant contraction in 2025, with a drop in sales of about 41.6%. This occurred after a record year in 2024, when we placed 58,000 units. This abrupt decline was mainly caused by the economic and political uncertainty that marked 2025.

In addition to the domestic market, production and exports also recorded a decline close to 30%. This was due to both new trade policies in North America and the cyclical behavior of the industry. In 2024, Mexico experienced a pre-buy phenomenon due to the technological shift toward Euro 6 regulations, which became the only technology available for new vehicles starting in 2025.

As of June 2026, the reported numbers from May show an encouraging outlook. We observe an upward trend in wholesale sales; in May, we reached 2,841 units, representing an increase compared to 2,364 in April and a 20.1% increase compared to May 2025. Although January 2026 was a low month (1,676 units compared to 2,608 in January 2025), the industry is undergoing a gradual recovery process.

In terms of production, May has been our best month of the year with 14,543 units, surpassing the 12,306 from the previous month and the 7,000 recorded at the beginning of the year. This recovery responds to a regulatory change in emissions standards in the United States, which is incentivizing fleet renewal in that country and benefiting our exports, which reached 11,938 units in May, an 18.48% increase compared to April. Uncertainty persists, but the upcoming official review of the USMCA in July should provide the certainty the sector needs.

Q: What scenarios do you foresee regarding the USMCA review?

A: There are several scenarios. The most complex would be reaching no agreement at all. Another scenario contemplates an initial announcement in June to continue working later on adjusting matters of mutual interest. A third scenario involves public statements by US President Donald Trump regarding the option of not renewing the treaty.

However, for the productive sectors of all three countries, it is evident that the treaty is highly beneficial for the region due to the deep integration of the supply chain. In the case of heavy vehicles, we have complied with a Regional Content Value (RCV) of 64% since 2024, and we will move to 70% in 2027. Of that 64%, 50% corresponds to US content and 14% to Mexican content.

Integration is so high that 70% of the engines produced in the United States are sent to Mexico for final assembly. In economic terms, Mexico receives around US$70 billion annually in auto parts from the United States and sends them US$10 billion in finished products. Furthermore, employment and infrastructure also evidence this balance: the United States has 23 heavy vehicle production plants (including two new joint-venture projects for electric batteries and manufacturing), while in Mexico we operate 12 plants, 11 of which are focused on exports. Mexico strategically complements North America's capacity to compete against other regions of the world.

Q: In addition to trade uncertainty, what other structural challenges does the sector face, and how does ANPACT help resolve them?

A: One of the priority issues is the transition toward new technologies and electromobility. Four of our members already produce EVs in Mexico, and 10 of them already have a commercial offering of these models. However, the main enabler for mass electromobility is energy availability. We view the federal government's investment plans in electrical infrastructure positively, particularly the digital facilities for approving generation, transmission, and distribution projects of up to 20MW. The crucial thing now is for the execution of these plans to be expeditious.

To electrify just 10% of the annual fleet sold at retail in Mexico (about 5,000 units), would require 611GWh, a capacity the country does not have. Electrification is viable for public transport and last-mile distribution, but not for long distances, due to the size of the vehicles and the lack of public heavy-duty chargers. Despite this, there are already projects operating successfully, such as the electric units delivered in Guadalajara and the fleets in the Yucatan Peninsula.

Likewise, we advocate for the coexistence of diverse technologies. Our baseline remains diesel, and for Euro 6 and EPA 10 systems to function correctly, full availability of Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) is required, which mandates a limit of 15ppm of sulfur. Our sampling indicates that availability on main highways is between 70% and 80%, making it necessary to ensure proper distribution and avoid blending with regular diesel. We also have viable options in natural gas, biofuels, and pilot projects with hydrogen, all of which require the development of their own infrastructure.

Q: What actions are you taking to help the market navigate the challenges caused by the influx of used vehicles and the arrival of new brands also represent a challenge?

A: The excessive influx of obsolete used vehicles from the United States severely affects the market. Last November, we managed to update the environmental agreement with the federal government to reduce the permitted import age from 20 to 10 years. However, we continue to work with the Ministry of Finance to establish reference prices at customs. Between 2019 and 2022, an average of 10,000 used units entered Mexico per year; that figure doubled in 2023 and nearly tripled in 2024, reaching 30,000. Fortunately, as of April 2026, we recorded a contraction of between 11% and 14% in this indicator, reducing the ratio from 65 to 58 imported used vehicles for every 100 new units sold.

To mitigate this, we seek to modify the automotive import decree to raise the tariff from the current 10% to 50% for vehicles between one and 10 years old, matching the tariff applicable to models older than 11 years, while strictly requiring the certificate of origin at customs. On the other hand, we face the excessive arrival of brands of Chinese origin without a level playing field for competition. There are now 23 Chinese brands operating in the country, but only three report their data to INEGI. We estimate that in 2024, nearly 7,500 units entered under schemes that include subsidies of up to 50% from their government, allowing retail prices well below real market value. The central problem is that many of these brands operate without after-sales infrastructure, spare parts warehouses, or maintenance services, leaving buyers unprotected, as has already occurred in public transport tenders in states like Queretaro, Jalisco, and Nuevo Leon. There are even national security implications regarding the acquisition of this type of vehicle for official agencies.

Our industry represents 28,000 direct jobs in Mexico, 50,000 in supply chains, and 80,000 indirect jobs, which are all affected by this unfair competition. We do not oppose competition, but we demand that it take place on a regulatory and fiscally level playing field.

Q: How does ANPACT align the interests of companies that are competitors with each other to speak with a single voice on these challenges?

A: Within the association, we are governed by strict principles of economic competition; commercial issues, prices, or individual volume strategies are never discussed. We focus exclusively on common priorities of a legislative, regulatory, and foreign trade nature. To be part of ANPACT, the bylaws strictly require brands to have manufacturing operations in Mexico, own their technology, and guarantee robust after-sales service frameworks. This ensures that all associates share the same proactive and constructive vision. 

We have maintained a dialogue with the federal government for a long time. This dialogue has been grounded in our sector's economic impact: the products moved by our transport operators represent 100% of domestic distribution in Mexico and 70% of the value of trade with the United States. Although natural strategic differences exist among companies, the relevance of motor transport to the national economy is what facilitates building consensus.

Q: What recent advancements have been made in public policy and regulation to incentivize fleet renewal?

A: A support program for the industry structured around four fundamental pillars was recently announced. The first is the accelerated depreciation scheme, which has a fund of MX$2 billion (US$116.22 million) available. This pillar is already being successfully applied to new projects thanks to collaborative work with the Ministry of Economy. The second pillar, which is taking off, consists of a financing and 70% guarantee program through Nacional Financiera (NAFINSA), developed in coordination with the General Directorate of Federal Motor Transport (DGAF) to directly benefit carriers.

The third pillar is the creation of an official Mexican standard for safety devices. Our members' vehicles already feature high technological standards of active and passive safety, but the lack of an official standard allowed the entry of foreign units that do not meet these requirements. Finally, the fourth pillar focuses on regulatory standardization for electromobility, ensuring a plurality of charging systems and infrastructure to avoid dependency on closed technologies.

Q: What solutions are being promoted by the industry to address the shortage of professional drivers?

A: This is a critical challenge. We face a deficit of nearly 90,000 drivers, to which an estimated retirement of an additional 16,000 personnel will be added, according to data from the National Chamber of Freight Transport (CANACAR). Highway insecurity has heavily impacted this indicator, which is why we work in coordination with the National Guard on various protection initiatives.

To counter the deficit, our brands promote driving schools, donate simulators, and maintain agreements to provide training vehicles. Companies like Scania and Volkswagen are introducing inclusion programs targeted to female talent, which also seek to involve entire families to provide support structures that facilitate women's professional development in the sector.

ANPACT also operates the Educa Transporte platform in collaboration with organizations like the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ), focused on the technical, administrative, and financial professionalization of small business owners and owner-operators.

Q: How can new driving technologies help mitigate this shortage and attract new generations?

A: Modern heavy-duty vehicles feature simplified transmissions and controls that match the driving smoothness of a passenger vehicle, reducing the need for extreme mechanical specialization on the part of the operator. Additionally, the incorporation of telematics and active safety solutions, such as lane departure warnings, fatigue sensors, and surroundings monitoring, simplifies driving and elevates operator protection. The marketing teams of each brand actively broadcast these benefits, while also tailoring powertrain, suspension, and chassis specifications to the exact needs of each type of cargo.

Q: What are ANPACT’s main priorities for the rest of the year?

A: We are focusing on three major strategic priorities. The first is strengthening the domestic market through strict control over the import of used vehicles. We also aim to establish a level playing field against unfair competitors, and continuously drive fleet renewal programs. The second priority is the consolidation of the external market and diversification, centered on fulfilling USMCA goals and developing key markets in South America. In Colombia, our third most important market, we doubled year-over-year sales volume after managing the acceptance of both EU and US technical specifications. We are also exploring opportunities in Ecuador, Chile, Peru, and Argentina.

The third is boosting national production by maintaining leadership for products carrying the "Made in Mexico" stamp. We rank first globally in tractor-truck exports, fourth in the combination of heavy vehicles and buses, fifth as a truck producer, and sixth in buses. The objective is to preserve this global competitiveness.

Q: What achievements would indicate a successful year for ANPACT?

A: Success will be defined by the consolidation of the scrappage program as the next step in fleet renewal, which will allow us to gradually reduce the average age of units in circulation, now standing at 19.3 years at the federal level.

Another goal is to achieve greater visibility and precision of vehicle data at the state level. State mobility registries are unclear. We applaud the federal government's digital transformation strategy through the Public Vehicle Registry (REPUVE), which will implement a new system to capture state data. This will give us a real outlook on the age of local fleets, where units with incorrect or excessively obsolete applications frequently circulate. Finally, a favorable conclusion to the USMCA review and progress in South American diversification will define success.

Q: What indicator best reflects the long-term health of the heavy-duty vehicle sector in Mexico?

A: It is a combination of reducing the average age of the fleet (where developed countries average 10 years compared to our 19.3 years), maintaining our leadership in production and exports, and the speed of adopting new technologies through the development of the corresponding infrastructure.

Our industry operates under an ecosystem of technological coexistence. Additionally, we measure success through sustainability, diversity, and social responsibility indicators. This culture is deeply rooted at ANPACT; we implement annual reforestation programs, sustainability awards at exhibitions, and internal equity and inclusion policies for people with disabilities.

Heavy transport is a fundamental pillar of the Mexican economy, and the well-being of end users is the core axis of our strategy. We will continue to drive safe, sustainable, and financially viable motor transport for the benefit of the country.