esilient performance with improved profitability, while urgent ecosystem action is needed to scale electric transport.
Published | 2026-10-28
In Q3,
Swedish based truck maker Scania has delivered what it describes as a stable performance despite the global geopolitical uncertainty crowding the planet in recent times following the announcement of the Traton owned company’s results for the third quarter of the European financial year.Scania and triton boss, Christian Levin said that with the developments in the Middle East and the resulting higher fuel costs as well as the ongoing supply chain disruptions., that the company showed ‘operational resilience and handled a varying truck market with flexibility’, as well as maintaining strong cost efficiency and a continued focus on delivering value for our customers.
Levin also said that he was pleased to see that battery electric or BEV truck orders had started to pick up, however, he added that the pace of adoption is still not moving quickly enough.
Levin announced that the performance varied across Scania’s business areas during the quarter, with its overall truck order intake remaining at a stable level while truck deliveries were slightly higher than in Q3 last year, although he was disappointed that challenges in its order-to-delivery flow limited deliveries in Europe.
“Regional trends differed and activity was stronger in parts of Asia and Africa, while orders declined in Europe and Latin America, and in Europe, battery-electric truck orders increased, although at levels that are still too low,” the Scania and Traton chief said.
Levin said buses and coaches faced a more challenging quarter, with lower order intake and deliveries than a year ago, impacted by the geopolitical uncertainty while the company’s power solutions deliveries increased, although order intake declined following strong activity earlier in the year.
“This was partly linked to customers bringing forward purchases ahead of the transition to the new engine platform,” Levin said.
“Our services business continued to grow strongly, supported by customers’ focus on keeping their existing fleets on the road. Uptime, repair quality and service availability remained important priorities for our customers,” he added.
The company announced that its operating result came in at the equivalent of $AUD 831 million (6,033 million SEK) with a 12.3 per cent improvement of return on sales compared with Q3 last year and reached the highest level since Q1 last year.
Scania also revealed that higher truck deliveries, along with a favourable product mix, continued growth in its services business and favourable currency effects more than offset increased R&D investments and China ramp-up costs.
“Our continued efforts to increase efficiency and strengthen cost discipline across the business also contributed to the improvement in profitability,” 
Levin said
Levin saidLevin said that when he asks customers what makes Scania’s offering exceptional to them, they tell him that it’s about more than vehicles.
“Our products come as part of a complete transport solution, including a comprehensive package of services and financing options designed to maximise efficiency and uptime,” said the Scania supremo.
“This broad, holistic offer means that our support for customers extends far beyond the point of sale, and our service network helps us build close, lasting relationships with our customers, putting us right at their side throughout their transport operations,” he said
The Scania boss said that during Q3, the company launched a range of new products and services that he said strengthened that premium offering further.
“One of the transport industry’s biggest challenges is how to make electric trucks work for long-haul operations. In September, Scania addressed that challenge head-on, with the launch of a solution that brings together expanded battery capacity, megawatt charging (MCS) and a new vehicle configuration,” Levin said
“This combination extends electric long-haul range up to 720km and Scania now offers BEVs for almost every application and operation, with MCS available as part of the offering, and by significantly extending the range of the trucks, we are helping to address one of the barriers to wider adoption,” he said.
He also pointed to other important launches during the quarter included the Scania Dynamic cab update, which focused on lowering energy consumption, boosting overall energy efficiency and improving driver comfort for both electric and combustion-engine trucks.
“The update includes improvements to visibility, seating, lighting and the interior, creating a more comfortable and intuitive environment for drivers, supporting them in their daily work.
“These updates were complemented by upgrades to our digital connectivity and Services 360 program, giving fleet managers even more power to track energy use and maximise vehicle uptime,” the Scania chief said.
“I was also delighted to see Scania gain recognition for its achievements in safety in Q3, with its heavy-haulage G-series and R-series truck lines earning top five-star safety ratings in Euro NCAP’s testing framework, with the assessment highlighting our advanced driver assistance systems and active safety technologies,”he said.
“Together with the L- and P-series results, Scania now has the highest number of five-star-rated configurations in the industry, with eight in total,” he said.
“You have heard me say it many times, that the technology for electric transport is ready, but market uptake is moving too slowly, and that reality is reflected in our quarterly BEV volumes, because while Q3 saw a higher BEV order intake compared with the same quarter last year, overall adoption lags behind where it should be,” he said.
Levin emphasised that the issue is not as a result of a lack of customer interest.
“Transport operators can see that electric solutions work for their business, however they need to achieve cost parity with diesel equivalents to make their business case work,” Levin said.
“They also say that the ecosystem around the vehicles must improve before they can fully commit to the transition, and that ecosystem is now at least three years behind, as well as still not developing fast enough,” he said.
“For electric transport to reach full scale, much more must be done to put the necessary infrastructure, grid capacity and policy frameworks in place,” Levin said.
“In the meantime, we are doing everything in our power to make shifting to electric easier for all our customers, and just one example is JUNA, a joint venture between Scania and Sennder,” he exp[lained.
“JUNA provides BEV trucks through a pay-per-use model, giving transport companies a way to switch to electric without large up-front investments,” he said.
The Scania boss pointed to the fact that during Q3, JUNA’s fleet across Europe surpassed 100 for the first time.
“This milestone is an encouraging example of how different business models and partnerships can help make electric heavy-duty transport a commercially viable option for more companies today,” Levin said.
Levin also highlighted that following the establishment of Scania’s industrial hub in China, the company now has a truly global production system, giving it greater flexibility and resilience, particularly in an era of ongoing uncertainty and supply chain disruption, and this matters more than ever.
“Our facility in China is much more than a production site, it is also a gateway giving us direct access to one of the world’s most advanced transport and technology ecosystems,” said Levin.
“Being in China gives us a real-world perspective on cutting-edge technologies, new business models, different customer expectations and faster development cycles taking innovations from concept to production faster than anywhere else in the world,” he emphasised.
“Combining these insights with our long-standing engineering legacy and experience in developing transport solutions gives us a strong competitive advantage.
“As the world’s transport system evolves, the innovations and ways of working we are seeing in China will be adopted more widely, and so by bringing these learnings into our global offering now, we can ensure we will remain in the best position to drive the transformation in the future,” Levin added.
“Developing business partnerships is one way we will take advantage of this 
opportunity, and that’s why, in Q3, we launched Venture and New Business China (VNBC), and this new initiative will identify, develop and pilot new business opportunities in China through strategic partnerships, customer collaborations and new ventures.
opportunity, and that’s why, in Q3, we launched Venture and New Business China (VNBC), and this new initiative will identify, develop and pilot new business opportunities in China through strategic partnerships, customer collaborations and new ventures.“There is no denying that our industry is facing turbulent times, and Scania is responding by doing what we do best, adapting, innovating, investing for the future, and supporting our customers through change, while all the time staying true to the Scania Way that is so valued by our customers,” he said.
“By doing so, we can continue to build the future transport system the world urgently needs, said the president and CEO of both Scania and Traton Group.
