Foton Motor reported strong growth in its new energy vehicle business in July 2026, with sales exceeding 11,000 units, up 44.8% year over year.
The company is expanding its new energy commercial vehicle business across both the Chinese and overseas markets. From electric light trucks and vans to new energy heavy trucks, Foton is increasing its presence across a growing range of transportation applications.
At the same time, China’s new energy commercial vehicle exports continue to grow, creating new opportunities for Chinese manufacturers in overseas markets.
According to Foton Motor’s July production and sales data, the company sold nearly 52,000 vehicles in July 2026, representing year-over-year growth of 12.6%.
New energy vehicle sales exceeded 11,000 units, an increase of 44.8% compared with July 2025.
From January to July 2026, Foton Motor sold more than 70,000 new energy vehicles, with sales increasing 21.5% year over year.
The figures show that Foton’s new energy business is moving beyond growth from individual models and expanding across multiple vehicle categories and transportation scenarios.
Its current product range covers electric light trucks, mini trucks, vans and heavy trucks, targeting applications including urban distribution, short-distance transportation and logistics.
Foton is continuing to expand the use of new energy light trucks in different regional markets.
In July, the Foton Aumark Z entered a new stage of large-scale deployment in Hunan, while the Aoling Zhilan battery-swapping light truck was delivered to customers in Shenzhen.
Battery swapping and fast-charging technologies are providing additional options for logistics operators that require frequent vehicle use and short turnaround times.
For commercial fleet operators, operating efficiency, charging time and total operating costs remain important factors when choosing an electric light truck. As charging infrastructure and battery technology continue to improve, electric light trucks are expected to become more widely used in urban and regional logistics.
New energy heavy trucks are another important part of Foton’s electrification strategy.
In July, the Foton Auman Galaxy 5M new energy tractor received a product upgrade, including a megawatt-level fast-charging solution and a dedicated fast-charging version.
The 400 kWh pure electric Auman Galaxy 5M tractor has also secured bulk orders in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region.
For electric heavy trucks, range, charging speed and operating conditions remain critical factors for commercial deployment. The development of high-voltage fast charging and megawatt charging technology could make electric heavy trucks more suitable for fixed-route transportation, short-haul logistics and other high-frequency applications.
China’s new energy commercial vehicle market is also benefiting from continued policy support.
In 2026, initiatives including the New Energy Vehicle Rural Promotion Program and policies supporting the large-scale deployment of new energy heavy trucks are expected to create additional opportunities for manufacturers.
The 2026 New Energy Vehicle Rural Promotion Program officially began in June.
Several Foton models were included in the official vehicle list, including the Foton Big General EV, Aumark, Aoling, Lingzhi, Xiangling Q, View i9 and View i7.
These vehicles cover a range of applications, including rural logistics, urban and rural distribution, agricultural transportation and construction material delivery.
Foton’s nationwide dealer and service network also provides an existing foundation for expanding new energy commercial vehicles into county and rural markets.
As vehicle prices, driving range and charging infrastructure continue to improve, electric commercial vehicles could see wider adoption in China’s regional logistics market.
The new energy heavy truck sector is also receiving stronger policy support.
In June 2026, China’s Ministry of Transport and 10 other government departments jointly issued the Implementation Plan for Promoting the Large-Scale Application of New Energy Heavy Trucks.
The plan aims to accelerate the transition toward low-carbon road freight transportation.
By 2030, the proportion of electric vehicles used for fixed-route short-haul transportation in key regions such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei and the Fenwei Plain is expected to exceed 80%.
Fixed-route logistics, port transportation, mining operations and short-distance freight are therefore expected to remain important application scenarios for electric heavy trucks.
Overseas markets are becoming increasingly important for Chinese new energy commercial vehicle manufacturers.
According to data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, China exported approximately 54,000 new energy commercial vehicles during the first half of 2026, an increase of nearly 10% year over year.
Exports reached approximately 13,000 units in June alone, representing year-over-year growth of more than 50%.
As countries in Europe, Southeast Asia and other regions accelerate the transition toward lower-emission transportation, Chinese manufacturers are increasing their investment in overseas new energy vehicle markets.
Foton Motor, one of China’s major commercial vehicle exporters, continued to record strong overseas growth in July.
The company sold more than 20,000 vehicles in overseas markets in July 2026, up 90.7% year over year.
New energy vehicles are becoming an increasingly important part of Foton’s international business.
In July, the right-hand-drive overseas version of the Foton CAVAN C1 was completed at Shanghai Port and shipped in batches to Thailand.
The delivery represents another step in Foton’s expansion into Southeast Asia and demonstrates the company’s efforts to adapt its commercial vehicle products to different overseas markets.
Foton CAVAN vehicles are currently sold in 25 countries and regions.
The company has established Europe as one of its core overseas markets while expanding its presence across Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
Its products have obtained a number of international market certifications, including EU WVTA, UK GB and Australian VTA approvals.
For new energy commercial vehicles, regulatory certification is only one part of entering an overseas market. Local after-sales service, spare parts availability, charging infrastructure and fleet operation support are also critical to achieving long-term sales growth.
As a result, competition among Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturers is gradually shifting from product exports toward integrated international service capabilities.
New energy commercial vehicles require a broader support system than traditional diesel trucks.
Foton Motor has previously stated that it is focusing its overseas new energy business on key markets and typical application scenarios. The company is also developing integrated charging and energy solutions, strengthening local services and exploring new commercial models.
This represents a broader shift in China’s commercial vehicle export strategy.
Traditional truck exports mainly focused on shipping vehicles to overseas customers.
The new energy market requires manufacturers to provide a wider package that can include:
The combination of products, services, brands and ecosystem solutions is therefore becoming increasingly important for Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturers expanding overseas.
Foton’s sales performance during the first seven months of 2026 shows continued momentum in its new energy commercial vehicle business.
In China, policies supporting new energy vehicles in rural areas and the large-scale deployment of new energy heavy trucks are creating additional opportunities for electric commercial vehicles.
Overseas, growing demand for low-emission transportation is opening new markets for Chinese manufacturers across Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia and other regions.
Foton has already established a broad new energy product portfolio covering electric light trucks, vans and heavy trucks, while continuing to develop pure electric, hybrid and hydrogen fuel-cell technologies.
The company’s strategy is also expanding beyond vehicle manufacturing into connected vehicle services, battery leasing, charging solutions, microgrids, financing, insurance, used vehicles and after-sales services.
With domestic demand, government policies and overseas exports all developing at the same time, Foton’s new energy commercial vehicle business is entering an increasingly important stage of international expansion.
The 44.8% year-over-year increase in new energy vehicle sales in July, together with 90.7% growth in overseas sales, shows that Foton’s growth is no longer limited to the Chinese market. The company’s performance in the second half of 2026 will be closely watched as new energy commercial vehicles move toward wider adoption in both domestic and international markets.
