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BloombergNEF says worldwide sales of medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks reached nearly 160,000 in the first half of 2026, about 75% above the same period in 2025. China accounted for more than nine in 10 sales. Rising diesel prices linked to the Iran war may make electric trucks more attractive to fleets, but the U.S. market remains near a standstill, according to BNEF.
Worldwide sales of medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks reached nearly 160,000 in the first half of 2026, a record and about 75% more than in the same period a year earlier, according to research firm BloombergNEF. The increase comes as diesel prices rise, in part because of the Iran war, sharpening the potential fuel-cost advantage of electric trucks for commercial fleets.
BloombergNEF’s figures show that the global market is expanding rapidly, but sales are concentrated in one country: more than nine out of 10 electric trucks sold worldwide in the first six months of 2026 were sold in China. The firm points to supportive policies and an extensive battery supply chain as factors behind China’s dominance.
Electric trucks typically have lower operating and maintenance costs than diesel models, but higher purchase prices. When fuel prices rise, the savings from using electricity can accrue more quickly and may shorten the period needed to offset the upfront premium. The size of that benefit depends on vehicle prices, energy costs, usage and charging access; the source material does not provide a global payback estimate.
BloombergNEF describes the U.S. battery-electric truck market as being at a “near standstill,” citing policy and cost headwinds. The report notes the end of federal zero-emissions vehicle tax credits, frozen grants for electric trucks and chargers, and federal action with Congress to nullify California’s authority to set separate vehicle emissions standards. California remains a counterpoint: it has committed billions of dollars in incentives and has more zero-emissions heavy-duty trucks on the road than any other state, according to the source.
Fuel Costs Reshape Fleet Economics
Diesel is a major operating expense for many trucking businesses, so sustained price increases can change how fleet owners compare diesel and electric vehicles. Higher fuel costs can improve the case for electrification by increasing the value of the fuel savings, although they do not remove the higher initial purchase cost or the need for charging infrastructure.
The sales figures also show that growth is not geographically even. China’s share of global sales means its policies and battery manufacturing capacity have an outsized influence on the market’s current scale. For fleets elsewhere, the availability and price of vehicles, public and depot charging, and local incentives will help determine whether global growth translates into local adoption.
For readers watching transport costs and emissions, the development points to a possible feedback: expensive diesel may encourage some operators to consider electric trucks, while greater production could broaden supply over time. The source establishes record sales and rising fuel prices, but does not establish that higher diesel prices alone caused the sales increase.
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A Market Led by China
The first-half sales increase continues a trend that BloombergNEF says has been building for years. The reported approximately 75% year-over-year rise compares the first half of 2026 with the first half of 2025; it is not a measure of the change in every market or vehicle category.
Electric truck adoption varies by country. The source says roughly one in five trucks sold in China is electric, while the electric share is higher in Norway and Switzerland. Those figures concern sales shares, not the proportion of all trucks already operating on the road.
China is also exporting more electric trucks. Bloomberg News reported that Chinese exports of electric tractor trucks in the first half of 2026 were more than double the total for all of 2025. In the United States, the source identifies California incentives and Tesla’s start of mass production of its electric semitruck at a Nevada factory as industry developments, alongside broader federal policy challenges.
“The U.S. battery-electric truck market has come to a “near standstill,” with policy and cost headwinds limiting uptake.”
— BloombergNEF
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Costs and Regional Uptake Remain Open
The available figures do not show how much of the first-half sales rise was driven by higher diesel prices, rather than ongoing market growth, policy support, new vehicle supply or other factors. The source links the Iran war to spiking diesel prices but does not provide price data by country or quantify the war’s effect on truck purchases.
It is also unclear how many of the trucks sold will enter service immediately, how quickly charging networks will expand, or how purchase and operating costs compare across individual routes and markets. BloombergNEF’s total is global; the supplied material does not break out the number of sales by truck type, manufacturer or destination beyond the China figures.
The source reports that Tesla considers its semitruck’s price of $250,000 to $300,000 competitive and says it charges faster and has longer range than electric trucks from traditional manufacturers. Those are company-related claims in the report; independent comparisons and details on production volume or customer deliveries are not provided.
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Watch Sales Beyond China
The next useful measure will be whether electric truck sales continue rising in the second half of 2026 and whether growth spreads beyond China. Future BloombergNEF data could clarify the pace of adoption, the mix of truck types sold and how the global trend changes as fuel prices and policy conditions shift.
In the United States, developments to watch include California’s incentive programs, the availability of charging grants and infrastructure, and whether Tesla’s semitruck production turns into substantial deliveries. The source material does not give a timeline for those milestones or say how many trucks Tesla expects to produce.
Diesel prices, vehicle purchase costs and electricity and charging costs will remain central to fleet decisions. For now, the confirmed picture is record global first-half sales, strong concentration in China, and a U.S. market that BNEF says is constrained. How durable that growth proves to be remains open.
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Key Questions
How many electric trucks were sold worldwide in the first half of 2026?
BloombergNEF estimates that nearly 160,000 medium- and heavy-duty electric trucks were sold worldwide in the first six months of 2026.
How much did sales increase from a year earlier?
The reported total was about 75% higher than sales in the first half of 2025, according to BloombergNEF.
Which country accounts for most electric truck sales?
China accounted for more than nine out of 10 electric trucks sold worldwide in the first half of 2026, according to the figures cited in the report.
Are rising diesel prices the reason sales are increasing?
Higher diesel prices can strengthen the operating-cost case for electric trucks, but the source does not quantify how much they contributed to the sales increase. BloombergNEF says the market’s momentum has been building for years.
What is happening to electric truck sales in the United States?
BloombergNEF characterizes the U.S. battery-electric truck market as at a “near standstill,” citing policy and cost challenges. California’s incentive commitments and Tesla’s start of semitruck mass production are identified as positive developments, but the source provides no delivery or production totals.
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