Heavy vehicle production soared 42% to a record 85,965 units in the first five months of the year.

According to the National Association of Bus, Truck and Tractor Manufacturers (ANPACT), the growth was fueled by rising demand from the United States and the production of more environmentally friendly vehicles.

Of the vehicles produced, 69,822 were exported, 35.24% more than in 2018. However, the export numbers were still lower than in 2015.

Mexico is one of the biggest producers of heavy vehicles in the world, and the leading exporter of semi-trucks after having taken that title from Germany. Over the past nine years, exports of heavy trucks have gone up 192%, and 90% of those exports have gone to the United States.

ANPACT president Miguel Elizalde told the newspaper El Economista that the Mexican automotive industry produces vehicles with environmentally friendly technologies that are some of the most advanced in the world, but most of them are exported. To fuel continued growth, Elizalde said, more clean vehicles should be produced for the domestic market.

“We need to have total availability of ultra-low-sulfur diesel so that these clean technologies can be put to work,” he said. “The availability of ultra-low-sulfur diesel and the systematic upgrade of vehicles will have benefits for the health of Mexicans, and will also allow us to weather possible slowdowns in demand from our trading partners.”

Source: El Economista (sp)