For the French automotive supplier, agility is the name of the game while it eyes higher growth in its commercial vehicle business in India and China.

China’s cost competitiveness and product base are reshaping global commercial vehicle competition, says Valeo’s Simonin.

Valeo expects India sales to triple to around €700 million by 2028, driven by electrification and advanced technologies.

The future of trucks will likely be a mix of battery-electric, fuel-cell and conventional powertrains, with TCO driving fleet-owner choices.

Valeo says China’s cost competitiveness and strong product base are shifting the global CV landscape, with total cost of ownership emerging as the key buying driver for fleets.

Thierry Simonin recalls how his CEO at Valeo , Christophe Perillat, had once referred to China as the ‘fitness centre’ of the automotive industry. “I think it is a very good image in my view. The Chinese are cost-competitive and work hard,” says the Group Customer Vice President, Commercial Vehicles , in a freewheeling chat with ET Auto. It is virtually impossible not to talk about China at the Hannover truck show, since they are practically everywhere, even as Europe’s own commercial vehicle brands have a prominent presence. Advt

The difference is that the Chinese are literally throwing down the gauntlet on European terrain, which is largely synonymous with brands like Daimler, MAN, Scania, Volkswagen, etc. For a strong Tier 1 global supplier like Valeo, which is into electrification, driver assistance, and thermal/visibility systems, the so-called power shift in the automotive tug-of-war is more than evident.

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