Sinotruk's Record H1: 108,351 Trucks Exported - What It Means for Used HOWO Buyers

Sinotruk - the maker of HOWO, the most recognizable Chinese truck badge on the used export market - just published its strongest half-year export numbers ever. According to the company's 2026 interim report, the group sold 193,644 heavy trucks in the first half of 2026, up 41.8%, of which 108,351 were exported, up 57.1% year on year, generating CNY 30.91 billion in export revenue, up 54.0% (official interim report). Industry media tracking the company describe it as China's top heavy truck exporter for a 22nd consecutive year, selling into more than 150 countries through 37 KD assembly plants and 36 overseas center parts depots (reported). New-energy heavy truck sales grew 138.8% and took the industry's No.1 market share for the first time (interim report). These are new-truck numbers - but they write the script for the used market you will be buying from in 2027-2030. Here is the buyer's translation.

1. A deeper, newer used pool is on the way

Used supply follows new sales with a lag. The record volumes moved in 2024-2026 become the used stock of 2027-2030: more 3-5 year-old HOWO 7, HOWO TX and A7 units with complete paperwork, fleet service histories and consistent specifications. Combined with the export-led structure described in the September export data report and the Africa half-year data report - where export demand, not domestic replacement, is now the main engine - the supply mix will skew toward export-spec trucks: 6x4 tractors and dump configurations, tropical cooling packages and dust-proofing that suit African and Middle Eastern duty cycles. For buyers planning fleet renewal, that is good news for both availability and model-year choice.

2. Parts availability is the real total-cost differentiator

The interim report's 36 overseas center depots matter more to a used buyer than any sales trophy. A truck is only as cheap as its parts: high-volume models share components across production years, so filters, brake parts, cab panels and driveline items for a 2019 HOWO 371 are typically stocked wherever new Sinotruk trucks are sold. That advantage is not universal - as the West Africa parts supply chain report details, niche brands can mean waiting 2-3 weeks for components shipped from Shandong while your truck sits and earns nothing. Practical step: before any deposit, ask which depot or dealer in your country stocks your model's wear parts, and get a spare-parts commitment in writing alongside the warranty terms explained in the warranty guide.

3. NEV leadership is heading for the used market

Sinotruk's new-energy heavy truck sales rose 138.8% in the half and reached the industry's top market share for the first time (interim report). Combined with the battery-swap architecture CATL rolled out in the October battery-swap report, the first meaningful wave of used electric HOWO-class trucks will enter export channels over the next two years. If you are early to that market, the battery is the deal-maker or deal-breaker: require a state-of-health report, review charge and discharge logs, and verify warranty transferability - the full drill is in the electric truck buyer guide and the battery due-diligence checklist.

4. Price pressure cuts both ways

The report also shows what this growth costs: group gross margin came in at 13.9%, down 1.2 percentage points, with the heavy truck segment's operating margin at 7.6% (interim report figures, reported analysis). Aggressive pricing on new trucks keeps downward pressure on used asking prices - favorable for buyers - but it also means quotes that sit far below the market deserve scrutiny, not celebration. Benchmark every offer against the five-brand FOB price baseline and treat out-of-line discounts as a risk signal, as the payment and fraud prevention guide explains.

5. What record brand volume does not guarantee

Brand-level statistics are not a country-level service promise. Depot and dealer coverage varies by market, and no badge exempts a specific truck from inspection. The company's own export push - from dealer after-sales training in Indonesia in October 2026 to new model launches in North Africa (official announcements) - shows the network is still expanding, but your due diligence stays the same: confirm the local distributor relationship, verify service and accident history, commission an independent third-party inspection, and require refurbishment-grade evidence, following the buyer inspection checklist. For mixed fleets, spec your used units to match the engines and gearboxes already running in your fleet - commonality is the whole point.

The takeaway: Sinotruk's record half is net positive for used HOWO buyers - deeper future supply, broader parts coverage and a maturing electric pipeline. Lock in the advantages that scale brings, and keep the verification habits that protect you regardless of badge. Browse our current used HOWO stock and request a VIN-specific inspection report before you commit.