Mexico truck exports soar 145% as US demand accelerates

“The reason why production and exports are growing at the levels they are is precisely because the United States, our main trading partner, is currently undergoing this technology shift,” Arzate said during an October news conference.

Arzate pointed to the transition toward U.S. Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards scheduled for 2027, which is prompting manufacturers and customers to adjust their purchasing and production plans.

“Clients are currently requesting a significant number of units as well, and that is why this production and export toward the United States is increasing,” Arzate said.

The growth highlights Mexico’s role as a major production hub for commercial trucks sold throughout North America, even as manufacturers navigate tariffs, evolving emissions requirements and the upcoming review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

US remains Mexico’s largest heavy-duty truck export market

Mexico exported 98,394 heavy-duty vehicles during the first nine months of 2026, an increase of approximately 12% compared with the same period last year, according to ANPACT.

Of those shipments, 98,389 were freight vehicles, representing a 12.1% year-over-year increase.

The U.S. remained the industry’s dominant export destination, receiving 90,967 Mexican-built heavy-duty vehicles from January through September, up 9.6% from the comparable 2025 period.

That means the U.S. accounted for approximately 92.5% of Mexico’s heavy-duty vehicle exports during the first nine months of the year.

Canada also recorded gains, with shipments increasing 47.6% year over year through September. During September alone, Mexico exported 680 heavy-duty vehicles to Canada, more than doubling the volume recorded a year earlier.

Other markets showing year-to-date growth included Colombia, Peru, Honduras and Guatemala, while exports to Chile, El Salvador, Ecuador and Costa Rica declined.

The export gains accompanied a broader recovery in Mexican commercial vehicle manufacturing.

During the January-through-September period, Mexican factories produced 117,121 heavy-duty vehicles, an increase of 10.3% from the same period in 2025.

Freight vehicles accounted for 114,443 units of that production.

Diesel-powered vehicles continued to dominate the industry’s manufacturing and export activity. ANPACT reported no electric or natural gas-powered heavy-duty vehicles produced or exported during September.

Domestic truck sales continue to struggle

Despite stronger manufacturing and export activity, Mexico’s domestic heavy-duty vehicle market remained under pressure.

Cristina Vázquez, coordinator of economic studies at the Mexican Association of Automotive Distributors (AMDA), said retail sales totaled 2,980 heavy-duty vehicles in September, down 11.3% from the same month in 2025.

The decline marked the eighth consecutive month of year-over-year decreases in Mexico’s heavy-duty vehicle retail market.

Through the first nine months of 2026, retail sales totaled 25,289 vehicles, a 17.5% decline from the comparable period last year.

Sales of tractor-trailers were particularly weak.

Mexican dealers sold 1,153 tractor-trucks during September, down 14% year over year. Sales of other freight trucks increased slightly, rising 0.5% to 1,378 units.

Combined, the freight vehicle segment recorded 2,531 retail sales, down 6.7% from September 2025.

Passenger vehicle sales, including buses, fell 30.5% to 449 units.

Vázquez said Mexico’s commercial vehicle market has yet to recover from a surge in purchases during 2024, when fleet operators accelerated acquisitions ahead of regulatory changes.

The record sales that year effectively pulled forward demand that otherwise might have occurred in 2025 and 2026.

She also cited uncertainty surrounding U.S. trade policies and the upcoming USMCA review as factors discouraging fleet operators from making major investments.

The market’s continued weakness comes despite signs of improvement in Mexico’s broader economy, including a rebound in fixed investment.

AMDA projected annual heavy-duty vehicle retail sales of approximately 36,051 units in 2026 but cautioned that actual results could fall below that estimate if purchasing activity remains subdued.

ANPACT pushes for tariff relief, fleet renewal programs

Arzate said ANPACT is working with Mexican authorities to address U.S. tariffs on commercial vehicles and components as the North American automotive industry prepares for the USMCA review.

The association is seeking lower tariffs and wants to preserve existing regional rules of origin, which require manufacturers to meet increasing North American content thresholds.

Arzate said manufacturers have made substantial investments in their supply chains and production facilities to comply with the agreement.

He said the industry’s preferred outcome would be eliminating U.S. tariffs imposed under Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act, although reducing those duties may be a more achievable near-term goal.

“In an ideal world, we should have zero tariffs,” Arzate said.

ANPACT is also working with Mexico’s Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Economy on programs aimed at encouraging domestic fleet replacement.

The initiatives include accelerated depreciation, financing guarantees and a proposed scrappage program designed to remove older commercial vehicles from service.

Arzate said the association is coordinating with Nacional Financiera, Mexico’s development bank, on additional financial incentives to help carriers purchase newer equipment.

September 2026: Key industry figures

Why it matters: The surge underscores Mexico’s importance to North American truck manufacturing as fleets prepare for regulatory changes and trade uncertainty.

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