According to Transport Topics, Mexican commercial vehicle production doubled year over year in August 2026 to 16,389 trucks and buses, driven by surging U.S. freight demand and a broader rebound in the North American freight market.
Record Year-to-Date Production and Export Surge
Year-to-date output through August 2026 reached 101,940 vehicles, exceeding the total for the same period in 2025 — the first time this has occurred in the eighth month of the year. August exports rose 116.7% year on year to 14,130 vehicles, while overall production climbed 100.2% compared with August 2025, according to data released September 9 by Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI).
Production also increased 24.9% month on month from 13,117 vehicles in July. The 2.6% year-on-year growth in cumulative output — 101,940 trucks versus 99,311 in the first eight months of 2025 — reflects sustained momentum across major OEMs operating in Mexico.
U.S.-bound shipments continue to dominate trade flows: the United States accounts for more than 90% of all Mexican truck and bus exports each month, reinforcing Mexico’s role as a critical nearshoring hub for North American heavy-duty vehicle supply chains.
Manufacturer-Specific Output Gains
Freightliner, operating plants in Saltillo and Santiago Tianguistenco, built 10,240 trucks in August — a 133.1% increase from 4,393 trucks in August 2025. That figure was also 14% higher than its July output of 8,984 trucks. Freightliner’s exports soared 151.4% year over year to 10,073 trucks.
International Motors produced 4,525 trucks at its Escobedo Assembly Plant in August, up 100.8% from 2,253 vehicles in the prior-year period. Meanwhile, Paccar’s Kenworth built 1,087 trucks at its Mexicali plant — an 8.5% rise from 1,002 trucks in August 2025.
Together, Freightliner, International, and Kenworth accounted for 15,852 of the 16,389 heavy-duty vehicles assembled in Mexico last month — representing 96.7% of total output.
Capacity Expansion Under Way
Volvo Group plans to ramp up production of Volvo and Mack trucks at its Monterrey manufacturing plant in Mexico, where it already builds buses. Though output from Monterrey has yet to appear in INEGI’s official figures, the Sweden-based company expects the facility to provide flexibility during freight market peaks — a capability its existing North American capacity lacks.
International Motors is evaluating adding a second shift at its San Antonio assembly plant, while Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) announced on Aug. 6 plans to launch construction of its largest U.S. manufacturing site by the end of 2026. These developments follow the August 2026 release of INEGI data confirming accelerated production and export performance across the sector.
Source: Transport Topics
Compiled from international media by the SCI.AI editorial team.
