Daimler Truck Holding AGDaimler Truck plans to invest mid-three-digit-million euros in its new Defence brand and targets doubling defense revenues to €1 billion by 2028.
Karin Rådström is steering Daimler Truck, the world's largest commercial-vehicle manufacturer, through a cultural and strategic overhaul as Chinese competition looms over the European truck market. Since becoming CEO in 2024, Daimler Truck's share price has risen almost 40%, from €33.15 to €46.24, and zero-emissions vehicle sales climbed 67% in 2025, though group net profits fell 48% year-on-year in the second quarter despite a 5% revenue uplift, hit primarily by tariffs. Chinese companies currently hold just 1.36% of the European commercial-vehicle market, according to Dataforce, but SuperPanther and Sinotruk have begun production in Austria and Windrose has set up a European headquarters in Antwerp, while Windrose's Global E700 offers a 700 km fully loaded range against 500 km for Daimler Truck's flagship model. Defense is a key growth pillar: Daimler Truck aims to double defense-related revenues to €1 billion, or $1.17 billion, by 2028, a figure that would still represent only 2% of overall annual revenue, and it plans to invest mid-three-digit-million euros in its new Daimler Truck Defence brand while targeting Level 4 autonomous trucks for the U.S. market by 2027. Rådström, only the second woman to lead a DAX 40 company, has pushed a "simpler, faster, and stronger" operating mantra to cut bureaucracy, a shift Citi analyst Klas Bergelind says has decentralized the organization even as cultural change takes time.
Daimler Truck Holding AGDaimler Truck plans to invest mid-three-digit-million euros in its new Defence brand and targets doubling defense revenues to €1 billion by 2028.
Sinotruk Hong Kong LtdSinotruk has begun European production, advancing its competitive position against Daimler Truck.
Citigroup Inc.
Sinotruk Jinan Truck Co LtdSinotruk's European production push strengthens its competitive standing versus Daimler Truck.
Windrose set up a European headquarters in Antwerp and its Global E700 offers 700 km range versus Daimler Truck's 500 km.