New report on wide bodied trucks highlights rapid move towards electrification and automation

Off-Highway Research’s new report on the Chinese wide bodied truck (WBT) industry highlights rapid changes in the mining segment.

With a domestic market of 15,000-22,000 WBTs in China alone last year, demand for these machines in that single country was greater than the total global demand for traditional rigid and articulated drum trucks combined.

In addition, the proportion of battery electric trucks has risen from almost none in the late 2010s to close to 30% of WBT sales in China this year. Electrification of WBTs is an enabler of automation and Off-Highway Research’s study indicates there is a fleet of some 5,000 fully autonomous machines currently active in China.

But the report also highlights the rapid growth of exports of WBTs from China, with more than a third of the machines produced in 2025 being sold overseas.

Although WBTs have their limitations compared to traditional trucks, their relatively low price point and the aggressive export push by Chinese OEMs is seeing them being adopted in around the world. Sales to date have predominantly been in emerging markets, but electric trucks are now also being trialled in a number of European countries.

The report is now available to download to subscribers of our China Export package.

It is also available to buy for none-subscribers from our store. Click here for more details.

To enquire about a subscription to Off-Highway Research’s reports and databases, please contact mail@offhighwayresearch.com