IEA 2026 electric-truck outlook: Build a route-level cost case before buying

IEA reports strong electric-truck growth in 2025. MYGE AUTO explains how buyers can assess local energy, charging and operating costs without assuming universal savings.

By MYGE AUTO

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The short answer

Growing electric-truck adoption makes a local cost comparison worthwhile, but it does not prove that every route should electrify. MYGE AUTO recommends calculating cost per working kilometre and checking whether the proposed truck can complete the required shift.

What the 2026 report says about 2025

The International Energy Agency reports that electric-truck sales doubled in 2025 and reached 9% of truck sales worldwide. Its report identifies China as the main source of growth and notes the importance of predictable operating routes in several Chinese applications. These are market-level findings about 2025, not a forecast for a particular MYGE AUTO vehicle or destination. [1]

MYGE AUTO view: build the comparison around one actual route

Begin with annual working kilometres, payload, operating days, purchase price and financing terms. Then add locally quoted fuel or electricity costs, maintenance, insurance, charging equipment and any required site work. Record where each figure came from and when it was obtained.

For an energy-only comparison, calculate diesel litres per 100 km multiplied by the local price per litre. Compare that with electricity purchased per 100 km multiplied by the applicable electricity price. Use purchased electricity rather than battery capacity, and include charging losses consistently. This calculation is only one part of ownership cost.

Account for productive time and uncertainty

Our suggested decision sheet also records available charging windows, workshop access and the cost of replacing a vehicle when it is unavailable. Keep uncertain items as ranges instead of presenting one precise savings figure. Check whether the decision changes when annual mileage or energy prices change.

If the route uses refrigeration, specify cargo temperature requirements, stops and refrigeration operating hours. Evaluate the complete vehicle-and-body combination. A basic truck range figure alone is not an operating plan for a cold-chain delivery shift.

Why the result must be local

For customers considering supply from China to Africa or the Middle East, we recommend confirming landed cost, destination requirements and service arrangements separately. Chinese market growth does not establish local incentives, charger availability or a guaranteed payback period elsewhere. MYGE AUTO does not infer those conditions from global sales statistics.

Buyer question: what information is needed for a useful comparison?

Provide the destination, required payload and body, daily route and annual mileage, operating schedule, local diesel and electricity prices, and charging arrangements. If some inputs are unknown, we can first identify which details are needed to compare the listed electric, diesel or range-extender configurations responsibly.

Sources

  1. IEA — Global EV Outlook 2026, Trends in other EV modes (2025 sales data)