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Summary of our market study
The French truck market is expected to reach 49,000 units in 2023, and to fluctuate between 40,000 and 60,000 units depending on the year
The global truck market, particularly for trucks over 3.5 tonnes, has been growing steadily due to the expansion of the construction and logistics sectors. With an estimated annual growth rate of 8% in 2022, the global market is estimated at $352 billion.
China dominates world production with 42.7%, while Europe accounts for 20% of the global market.
The regulatory framework in Europe has continued to evolve, with strict pollution standards and agreements to reduce CO2 emissions, as well as advances in low-emission zones and intelligent tachograph systems.
Dynamic growth and technological advances boost the French truck market
The truck market is a vital component of the French economy. There is a close link between the demand for trucks and economic activity. Road haulage, one of the main users of trucks, accounts for around 32% of the total fleet.
For example, while freight transport activities grew by almost 13%, truck registrations grew in parallel by almost 31%. This correlation underlines the sensitivity of the truck market to the dynamism of the road haulage sector.
Another major end-user is the construction sector, which accounts for 13% of the truck fleet. This segment requires a wide range of specialized trucks, such as concrete mixers and dump trucks.
With e-commerce revenues up by around 66%, the need to transport goods to the customer's door has increased. This evolution in consumer patterns potentially broadens the horizons of the truck market, although it is essential to take into account the variation in the types of vehicles used for delivery, particularly in urban areas.
A small number of manufacturers hold almost the entire market. Renault Trucks controls approximately 30% of the French market.
Global and French truck market players
- Renault Trucks - At the top of the ranking in France, Renault Trucks occupies a dominant position. As part of the Volvo Group, this manufacturer's heritage in the industry is marked by a comprehensive product range that caters for all market segments.
- Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Trucks) : Daimler, with its Mercedes-Benz trucks, is synonymous with quality and innovation.
- DAF Trucks - DAF trucks, known for their reliability and efficiency, have carved out a significant market share.
- Volvo Trucks - Pioneers in durability and safety. Owns Renault Trucks. The company is at the forefront of electric truck development.
- Volkswagen Group (MAN and Scania) - A diversified group with a comprehensive portfolio.
- Peugeot - European leader in light commercial vehicles
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Summary and extracts
1 Market overview
1.1 Definition and scope of study
A truck is a motor vehicle most often used for road haulage, with a gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) of over 3.5 tonnes. There are different types of truck, depending on their configuration, and in this study we'll be looking at straight trucks, tractor units, trailers and semi-trailers. They can have different characteristics depending on their use. There are tippers, vans (sometimes refrigerated), flatbed trucks, and so on. We'll be focusing mainly on the new market, but we'll also mention used trucks in the distribution section.
With an estimated average annual growth rate of 6.3% up to 2028, the global truck market is set to be extremely dynamic, thanks to growth in the construction sector, particularly in emerging countries, and the development of logistics services and e-commerce. Despite the pandemic that hit the sector hard, bringing major truck manufacturing customer sectors to a halt, the sector has recovered very well from the crisis, and still offers great prospects for development.
Europe is still the world's leading truck production market in terms of value, thanks in particular to the presence of world-class manufacturers in Germany and Sweden.
The truck market is dominated by a handful of leading manufacturers (Renault Trucks, Mercedes, DAF, etc.), leaving little room for new entrants with high barriers to entry. We will also look at distributors and truck financing methods (leasing, conventional credit, etc.).
Last but not least, truck manufacturing is a fertile ground for the development of technical innovations, notably in the field of electric and autonomous trucks , which will contribute to the market's future dynamism.
1.2 The global truck market
The global truck market is growing steadily, thanks to the development of the construction and logistics sectors, as well as e-commerce sales, which contribute to the demand for trucks.
For trucks with a tonnage of over *.* tonnes, the market was estimated to be worth $*** billion in ****. With an estimated average annual ...
1.3 The French truck market
The French truck market is extremely dynamic. It encompasses a wide variety of products, and we're particularly interested in :
Straight trucks: cab and body or platform are mounted on the same chassis. They include tankers, concrete mixers, container carriers, machine carriers, vans (***), tippers, etc. Road tractors: motor vehicles without bodies, fitted ...
1.4 The repair and spare parts market
The truck repair and spare parts market is also very dynamic. Even though the number of trucks on the road is declining slightly (***), the number of heavy goods vehicles on the road in France is increasing, driving growth in the sector's maintenance and repair business.
The number of HGVs (***) increased by ...
1.5 Foreign trade in trucks and related products
To study foreign trade in trucks, we'll be using Harmonized System code ****, which designates motor vehicles for the transport of goods, including chassis with engine and cab. The scope of this code is slightly broader than that of our study, as it includes vehicles of all weights, including those under *.* ...
2 Demand analysis
2.1 The different truck-using sectors
Trucks are used for a variety of purposes, depending on their specific characteristics. The first is road freight transport, which accounts for **.*% of the truck and tractor fleet. Next come construction (***), but rather as a distribution channel.
Truck and tractor fleets, by user sector France, January ****, in Source: ****
Other sectors (***) account ...
2.2 Road freight has a direct impact on truck demand
As mentioned above, road freight is the number one customer for trucks in France.
The number of new registrations is therefore directly linked to its good health. After a reduction in freight activity between **** and ****, new truck registrations fell.
Subsequently, with the number of tons transported per kilometer increasing (***) by **% between ...
2.3 The construction industry, a major outlet for trucks
The construction industry is one of the main markets for trailer manufacturers, due to the need to transport bulky goods. Some trucks, such as concrete mixers or tippers, are also used directly on construction sites.
growth in building sales France, ****-****, index base *** **** Source: ****
The sector is a real growth driver ...
2.4 Retail and the e-commerce boom
The retail trade is also an important customer sector for trucks. As goods have to be transported, often over long distances, trucks are an essential part of the sector.
sales trends in non-specialized food retailing France, ****-****, index base *** **** Source: ****
Retail sales in non-specialized stores have risen by **% in ** years, and ...
2.5 The slowdown caused by covid-19
The Covid-** crisis had a major impact on the truck market. Factories were forced to close, and the sector suffered from reduced activity in customer sectors such as construction.
The number of registrations fell sharply from March **** during the containment period, and was halved in March **** compared with March ****. The slowdown ...
3 Market structure
3.1 Truck and heavy goods vehicle value chain
The truck market is primarily structured by producers of different nationalities, who produce a wide variety of products to meet different applications. The leading French producer is Renault Trucks.
Distribution is then more complex. It is carried out either through the manufacturer networks, or by independent dealers. There are also two ...
3.2 France's leading truck manufacturers
The data published by the CCFA on the market shares of the various manufacturers of commercial vehicles (***) enable us to analyze trends for the main players. for information, the CCFA counted **,*** registrations of this type of new vehicle in ****, i.e. over **% of the total number of HGVs analyzed in the ...
3.3 Truck distribution
The truck wholesale and retail trade is recorded by INSEE under code **.**, which includes trucks, trailers and semi-trailers, as well as caravans and motor homes. The scope is therefore slightly broader than that of our study. This activity also includes the second-hand trade. Between **** and ****, sales by French distributors rose by ...
3.4 Leasing with a purchase option is a preferred means of acquiring a fleet
Leasing with an option to purchase (***) in the form of leasing with purchase option, compared with only *** million for financial leasing and *** million for conventional loans.
Rent-to-own contracts are leasing contracts that offer the option of purchasing the asset at the end of the lease. Finance leases are transactions without a ...
3.5 Used truck registrations
The used truck market is experiencing a rollercoaster ride, and after a significant drop in registrations in **** (***)
trend in registrations of used trucks, tractor units, heavy trailers and semi-trailers France, ****-****, in thousands of vehicles Source: ****
In terms of volume, the used truck market has historically been smaller than the new ...
4 Offer analysis
4.1 Different types of trucks and heavy goods vehicles
As seen in *.*, trucks and heavy goods vehicles can be divided into * main categories:
Straight trucks ; Tractor units ; Heavy trailers ; Semi-trailers;
Each of these segments can then be broken down into several product categories with their own specific uses.
Straight trucks
Tipper trucks are used to transport bulk goods (***). Finally, trailer ...
4.2 Purchase price and annual cost
The CNR (***) publishes a cost price reference for certain trucks, road tractors and trailers, updated to December ****.
Source: ****
CNR also proposes a breakdown of all costs over a year of use for each of these different trucks.
We know the cost per kilometer of the essential elements for the use of ...
4.3 A range that's moving towards electric power and autonomy
Towards less polluting vehicles
The main challenge for truck manufacturers is to limit greenhouse gas emissions. While electric trucks are still in their infancy, brands are improving the environmental credentials of their vehicles.
Almost all trucks (***), which we have not included in this study.
Distribution of heavy goods vehicle fleet by ...
5 Regulations
5.1 Regulatory framework
Pollution standards
Euro *d Temp standard: European emission standards, known as Euro standards, are European Union regulations that set maximum pollutant emission limits for vehicles on the road. Euro *.* is also known as Euro *.d-TEMP. In January ****, it will be succeeded by Euro *.*, also known as Euro *.d or Euro *.d ...
6 Positioning the players
6.1 Segmentation
- Volvo Group (Renault Trucks et Volvo Trucks)
- Volkswagen Group
- Daimler Trucks and Buses (Mercedes)
- Kertrucks Groupe
- Fuso
- Retrofleet
- Man truck
- Evobus France (Daimler Trucks)
- Paccar (DAF Trucks · Kenworth Trucks · Peterbilt Trucks)
- DAF Trucks (Paccar group)
- Ford Trucks
- Traton (Scania, MAN, Navistar, and Volkswagen Truck & Bus)
- Renault Trucks (Volvo trucks)
- Gruau
- Eonnet Groupe
- Fraikin
- Petit Forestier
- Nikola
- Etalmobil
- The Truck Ccompany
List of charts presented in this market study
- Trends in the global truck market (tonnage over 3.5 tonnes)
- Worldwide commercial vehicle production
- Distribution of straight truck applications
- Distribution of road tractor applications
- Breakdown of new truck registrations
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Latest news
Milence: Normandy's first station for electric trucks - 15/05/2024
- **Electric truck registrations in France in 2023**: around 500 registrations for 620,000 trucks on the road.
- - **Creation of Milence**: 2022, joint venture between Volvo Group, Daimler Truck and Traton Group.
- - **Electric truck registrations in Europe**: 3,000 units.
- - **Electric heavy-duty vehicle registrations in Europe forecast for 2030**: over 200,000 units, representing a market share of 3.2%.
- - **Milence target by 2027**: at least 1,700 high-performance charging stations across Europe.
Renault Trucks believes in the potential of electric trucks - 28/03/2024
- The 100% electric segment is still small on the European market, with less than 3,200 trucks out of a total all-makes market of 370,000 vehicles.
- in France, the figure is just over 1%, or 550 of the 48,000 trucks registered in 2023
- Market leader in France for trucks over 6 tonnes among the eight brands present, with a 27.3% share of orders.
- The Swedish Volvo Group (trucks, buses, construction equipment, etc.) has sales of over 55 billion euros
- Renault Trucks, we represent only 10% of the entire Volvo group
Renault Trucks finalizes its electric range in Ain - 09/01/2024
- The manufacturer has begun assembling its 44-tonne electric truck in Bourg-en-Bresse.
- The subsidiary of the Volvo group is completing its 100% electric range, for which it has invested 500 million euros.
- The production site employs 1,350 people
- Around 9,000 units produced by 2023
- Renault Trucks generates annual sales of 5 billion euros, 40% of which in France.
- 18% market share in electric vehicles. A leadership position achieved with its Master vans and Renault Trafic vans
- Renault Trucks employs 9,400 people worldwide.
- It has four plants in France, at Saint-Priest, Bourg-en-Bresse, Blainville-sur-Orne and Vénissieux (Rhône)
Nikola: jail time for Trevor Milton - 19/12/2023
- Founded in 2015, the company's main objective, Nikola Motors, is to design and produce electric and hydrogen-powered trucks.
- In 2020, the company went public For a time in 2020, Nikola Motors, which still had only a vague prototype, was worth more than Ford.
- The company's fraud cost shareholders $660 million, according to the US government.
- Today, Nikola Motors is worth $1 billion on the stock market, 71 times less than at its peak.
- Trevor Milton sentenced to four years in prison
New acquisition for Morbihan-based carrier Eonnet - 29/11/2023
- The family-run group, founded by Daniel Eonnet, has just acquired one of its counterparts and neighbors: Transports Bohelay, specialized in Baud in grain logistics and glass collection, as well as in the storage of agricultural materials and the transport of materials for public works.
- With its fleet of 30 vehicles and 45 trailers, the SME employs around fifty people and generates sales of around 5.5 million.
- Eonnet continues to diversify, and joins the France Benne group, a network of around one hundred SMEs specializing in bulk logistics (total sales of 900 million euros, over 5,000 employees).
- The Eonnet Group has 29 subsidiaries covering virtually the entire supply chain, from refrigerated transport to ready-mix concrete and courier services.
- 1.600 employees and sales of around 160 million euros.
- The ETI has multiplied its acquisitions of SMEs
- In 2021, with the acquisition of the Romatrans group, a chauffeur-driven vehicle rental specialist based in Saône-et-Loire (sales of 13 million euros, 140 employees).
- In 2022, Transports Burlot, based in Loudéac (Côtes-d'Armor), 20 drivers (sales: 3.5 million euros)
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