Fuel Surge Drives Demand for Truck Tires

Recently, international oil prices have continued to rise sharply, coupled with the impact of geopolitical fluctuations, leading to a corresponding increase in domestic refined oil prices. On March 23, 2026, domestic oil prices saw their fifth significant increase this year, with 92-octane gasoline entering the "9 yuan era" across the board.

Diesel prices also rose simultaneously, directly pushing up fuel costs in the logistics and transportation industry and placing heavy operational pressure on fleets reliant on fuel-powered heavy trucks. Industry estimates show that fuel costs account for 30% to 40% of total road logistics costs, with an even higher proportion in long-haul transportation.

Heavy trucks travel an average of 10,000 kilometers per month. After this price adjustment, monthly fuel expenses will increase by approximately 3,500 yuan. Even with temporary adjustments, filling up each heavy truck will only save 300 to 500 yuan, making it difficult to fundamentally alleviate cost pressures.

Many small and medium-sized logistics fleets and individual drivers report that rising oil prices are significantly squeezing profit margins, and operational pressures are continuously increasing.

Meanwhile, with the in-depth implementation of the "dual-carbon" strategy and policy guidance, the electric heavy truck market has achieved rapid penetration, becoming an important direction for the green transformation of the logistics and transportation industry.

Data shows that in 2023, the penetration rate of new energy heavy-duty trucks in my country reached 6.2%, nearly eight times that of 2020, with an average annual compound growth rate exceeding 120%. It is projected that by 2026, the market size of green truck tires配套 (supporting) new energy heavy-duty trucks will exceed 80 billion yuan.

However, the large-scale application of electric heavy-duty trucks still faces core pain points: insufficient energy density of power batteries leading to range anxiety, and high energy consumption affecting operational efficiency, particularly hindering their promotion in long-haul transportation scenarios. How to improve range and reduce energy consumption has become a core issue of common concern for automakers and fleets.

Driven by both rising oil prices and truck electrification, energy-saving truck tires, with their unique advantages, are experiencing continuously rising market demand and are gradually becoming a key component for fleets to reduce costs and increase efficiency, and for automakers to enhance product competitiveness.

According to the US "Low Rolling Resistance Tire Confidence Report," rolling resistance accounts for 30% to 33% of truck fuel costs. Energy-efficient truck tires, through material upgrades and structural optimization, effectively reduce rolling resistance, improving fuel economy and reducing fuel consumption in fuel-powered heavy-duty trucks, while also reducing energy consumption and extending the driving range of electric heavy-duty trucks—achieving a "win-win" situation.

Currently, the technological iteration of energy-efficient truck tires is accelerating, with industry companies increasing R&D investment. They are adopting low-carbon materials such as high-structure, low-particle-size nano-carbon black and highly dispersed silica, optimizing tread patterns and tire profile design to further reduce rolling resistance while ensuring grip and wear resistance.

Industry data shows that high-quality energy-efficient truck tires can reduce fuel consumption of fuel-powered heavy-duty trucks by more than 8% and reduce electricity consumption per 100 kilometers for electric heavy-duty trucks by 0.8 to 1.2 kWh. For logistics fleets with considerable annual mileage, this translates to substantial operating cost savings.

Policy guidance is also accelerating the adoption of energy-efficient truck tires. Policies such as the "Tire Industry Standard Conditions (2022 Edition)" have set strict energy efficiency thresholds, encouraging the research and development and production of low rolling resistance and long-life tires.

The Ministry of Finance and the State Taxation Administration have included the manufacturing of low rolling resistance green tires in the scope of income tax incentives. Meanwhile, compliance requirements in international markets such as the EU are also forcing domestic tire companies to accelerate their energy-saving transformation to cope with international trade barriers.

From a market demand perspective, both traditional fuel-powered heavy-duty truck fleets are actively choosing energy-saving truck tires to cope with rising oil prices and reduce operating costs, and new energy vehicle companies are actively selecting them to address range anxiety and enhance product competitiveness, driving a continuous increase in their market penetration rate.