Latest news with #ChristianLevin
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Half of trucks produced at Scania's €2bn production site in China will be exported
At least half of the trucks to be produced at Scania's new €2 billion manufacturing hub in China will be exported, the company's CEO Christian Levin said in an interview with the Financial Times (FT). The new plant will begin production in October and exports will be focused in Asia and Oceania. This comes in addition to their existing sites in Sweden, the Netherlands and Brazil. Swedish truck manufacturers Scania AB is owned by the Traton Group, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, which already has a significant presence in the country. Like Volkswagen's sites, the new production site for Scania will also be in China's eastern Jiangsu province, but this time in the city of Rugao. Following the success of Chinese EV brands like BYD making waves in the car industry in Europe, Scania is anticipating similar activity in the truck making industry and wants to stay ahead of their competition. Following the rise of Chinese brands in Europe's car market, Scania predicts that Chinese players may begin to dominate Europe's truck industry too. The firm therefore wants to stay ahead of the curve. 'The Chinese manufacturers today are predominantly strong in China, but that's today,' Levin told the FT. 'I'd rather take on the competition and try to beat them in their home market. And if we can do that well, then we know that we can do that well anywhere in the world.' Related Chipmakers Nvidia and AMD to pay 15% of China revenue to US government Norway's sovereign wealth fund sells its shares in 11 Israeli firms Scania begins production in China Construction on the site began in 2022 and was completed in 2024—production is scheduled to begin in Rugao in the third quarter of 2025. Scania initially promised that the site would be emission-free, championing biogas produced from local wastewater sludge, food waste and other biowaste as the main source of power. Though the final status of the plant has not yet been made clear, if they have succeeded in their goal of building a carbon neutral facility, it will be the first commercial vehicle manufacturing plant in China with this designation. Alongside Tesla, Scania is one of a small group of foreign manufacturers granted a license to operate a fully-owned plant in China. In 2022, Mats Harborn, then president of Scania China Group said: 'Instead of a single assembly line, we were able to acquire more land so we can now build an entire factory. What's more, since China changed its investment rules, we have been able to act within a narrow regulatory window, enabling us to do this completely by ourselves — 100% Scania.' The new production site is earmarked for a capacity of 50,000 vehicles per year and the Chinese government has asked Scania to scale up to full capacity as quickly as possible. Levin told the FT that this new site in Rugao, an addition to its existing manufacturing facilities in Europe and Brazil, would offer greater flexibility in allocating production depending on geopolitical developments. It will also significantly reduce delivery time for customers in Asia and Oceania. Sign in to access your portfolio
Euronews
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Euronews
Sweden's Scania to export half of China-produced trucks at new site
At least half of the trucks to be produced at Scania's new €2 billion manufacturing hub in China will be exported, the company's CEO Christian Levin said in an interview with the Financial Times (FT). The new plant will begin production in October and exports will be focused in Asia and Oceania. This comes in addition to their existing sites in Sweden, the Netherlands and Brazil. Swedish truck manufacturers Scania AB is owned by the Traton Group, a subsidiary of Volkswagen, which already has a significant presence in the country. Like Volkswagen's sites, the new production site for Scania will also be in China's eastern Jiangsu province, but this time in the city of Rugao. Following the success of Chinese EV brands like BYD making waves in the car industry in Europe, Scania is anticipating similar activity in the truck making industry and wants to stay ahead of their competition. Following the rise of Chinese brands in Europe's car market, Scania predicts that Chinese players may begin to dominate Europe's truck industry too. The firm therefore wants to stay ahead of the curve. 'The Chinese manufacturers today are predominantly strong in China, but that's today,' Levin told the FT. 'I'd rather take on the competition and try to beat them in their home market. And if we can do that well, then we know that we can do that well anywhere in the world.' Scania begins production in China Construction on the site began in 2022 and was completed in 2024—production is scheduled to begin in Rugao in the third quarter of 2025. Scania initially promised that the site would be emission-free, championing biogas produced from local wastewater sludge, food waste and other biowaste as the main source of power. Though the final status of the plant has not yet been made clear, if they have succeeded in their goal of building a carbon neutral facility, it will be the first commercial vehicle manufacturing plant in China with this designation. Alongside Tesla, Scania is one of a small group of foreign manufacturers granted a license to operate a fully-owned plant in China. In 2022, Mats Harborn, then president of Scania China Group said: 'Instead of a single assembly line, we were able to acquire more land so we can now build an entire factory. What's more, since China changed its investment rules, we have been able to act within a narrow regulatory window, enabling us to do this completely by ourselves — 100% Scania.' The new production site is earmarked for a capacity of 50,000 vehicles per year and the Chinese government has asked Scania to scale up to full capacity as quickly as possible. Levin told the FT that this new site in Rugao, an addition to its existing manufacturing facilities in Europe and Brazil, would offer greater flexibility in allocating production depending on geopolitical developments. It will also significantly reduce delivery time for customers in Asia and Oceania.
Yahoo
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Slow shift to electric trucks puts EU firms at risk of heavy fines
European truck manufacturers face potential multi-billion-euro fines due to the sluggish adoption of zero-emission vehicles, the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA) warned. More than 90% of new trucks registered in Europe still run on diesel, while only 3.5% of those registered in the first quarter of 2025 were electric or plug-in hybrid models, according to ACEA. Buses show better progress, with nearly 65% of new registrations running on diesel, due to a relatively high share of climate-friendly buses in cities. Christian Levin, chair of ACEA's commercial vehicle board, called on governments to do more to boost demand for electric commercial transport, such as increasing the cost of diesel transport and accelerating investments in charging infrastructure. Levin noted that nearly every major transport route in Europe runs through Germany, making support from the German government especially important. Under current EU law, average CO2 emissions from new heavy-duty vehicles such as trucks, trailers and long-distance buses must be cut by 45% by 2030, 65% by 2035 and 90% by 2040 compared to 2019 levels.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Scania to launch new production hub in China in October
Swedish truck manufacturer Scania AB confirmed it is scheduled to begin operations at its new EUR 2 billion production hub in China in the fourth quarter of 2025, according to reports citing the company's CEO Christian Levin. Scania, part of the Traton group which also includes brands such as MAN, International and Volkswagen Truck & Bus, currently has two main global manufacturing hubs - Sweden and in Brazil - supplying built-up vehicles and components to world markets. The new production hub in Rugao, in China's Jiangsu province, will ultimately have a production capacity of 50,000 trucks per year. The facility is expected to help lift the brand's sales in the world's largest vehicle market and will also export built-up vehicles to other markets in Asia. Mr Levin, who also heads Traton, expects the new Rugao facility to help the company reduce its delivery times across the Asia-Pacific region. He pointed out that currently "if a customer in Asia wants to buy a Scania, they have to get it from Europe or Brazil, which means a wait of maybe six or seven months." Scania's stronger manufacturing presence in China will also help improve its access to next-generation truck technologies that are available in the country, including zero-emission drivetrains and smart, connected technologies. The CEO confirmed 'we want to tap into that. We want to be part of the ecosystem. We want to be close to the competition.' Scania recently launched a new US$ 350 million investment at its existing operations in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to upgrade its production facilities and introduce clean transportation solutions including electrified powertrains. "Scania to launch new production hub in China in October" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site.
South China Morning Post
27-05-2025
- Automotive
- South China Morning Post
Sweden's Scania makes €2 billion China bet with new factory, eyeing Asian growth
Swedish truck maker Scania will launch a €2 billion (US$2.28 billion) Chinese production hub in October, its third global manufacturing base alongside facilities in Sweden and Brazil, according to CEO Christian Levin. The new factory in Rugao, in China's eastern Jiangsu province, will eventually reach a production capacity of 50,000 vehicles a year – nearly double what Scania's Brazilian plant produced in 2024. It would also boost demand for parts made in South America, said Levin, who also runs group Traton, which includes the brands Scania, Man, International, and Volkswagen Truck & Bus. Setting up in the Chinese market also gives Scania access to the next generation of transport technology in China. 'We want to tap into that,' he said. 'We want to be part of the ecosystem. We want to be close to the competition.' Scania is also kicking off a new four-year investment cycle in Brazil, which became its second hub after Sweden in the late 1950s, with about US$350 million of capital spending at its local hub, based in Sao Paulo state, by 2028. Part of the investment is going to initiatives concerning clean transport, including electrification. With its main production hubs in Europe and South America offering the same products in different geographies, Scania has been able to expand its presence in several parts of the world.
