Heavy vehicle sales in Mexico fell by 54pc in October from a year earlier, driven by a weakening domestic market and economic uncertainty.
Sales of heavy vehicles — trucks and buses — totaled 5,612 units in October, down from 12,196 in October 2024 and down by 4pc from 5,872 units a month prior, according to statistics agency Inegi data.
Wholesale sales — orders from large logistics and freight operators — fell by 61pc to 2,603 units in October from 6,675 a year earlier, indicating that major operators are postponing or reducing purchases because of uncertainty and higher operating costs.
Heavy vehicle production and exports fell sharply, driven mainly by US president Donald Trump's plan to impose a 25pc tariff on US imports of medium- and heavy-duty trucks, initially set for 1 October and later postponed to mid-November. Mexico's government has said it is confident a deal can still be reached.
Heavy vehicle sales from January-October fell to 58,019 units from 99,600 in the same period of 2024, Inegi data show.
Heavy vehicle production fell to 7,131 units in October from 17,302 a year prior. On a monthly basis, production ticked up by 4pc, or 274 units.
Exports followed suit, dropping to 5,221 units in October from 11,677 a year earlier.
Heavy vehicle demand is a key indicator for logistics-sector activity in Mexico, which in turn influences demand for diesel and diesel exhaust fluid (DEF), used as an additive to diesel to reduce emissions.
Mexico's government is preparing new environmental rules that would effectively ban imports of used heavy vehicles older than 10 years, aiming to align import standards with domestic emissions regulations and accelerate fleet renewal.
