One of the most frequent objections heard at European manufacturers' stands during IAA 2026 was that Chinese competitors still lack the expertise, sales networks and service infrastructure needed to establish themselves in Europe. But expertise can also be acquired by recruiting executives who know the market. That is the approach taken by SuperPanther, the Chinese electric truck manufacturer that has been assembling its eTopas 600 in Austria since July. On 15 October, Holger Scherr, who has more than 20 years of experience with Daimler and Daimler Truck, became executive vice-president for Europe, responsible for developing the company's operations across the continent alongside president Michael Ruf.
Scherr brings more than two decades of experience at Daimler and Daimler Truck. His career includes serving as president and chief executive of Beijing Foton Daimler Automotive, the Chinese joint venture between Foton and Daimler, and as a member of the Mercedes-Benz Trucks executive committee. He has held responsibilities in vehicle development, global logistics, supply chain management and operations, including roles in the Actros and Zetros programmes. He was also involved in developing and localising Mercedes-Benz Trucks' operations in China. In short, his wide-ranging career makes him a strong fit for a brand entering the European market.
Meanwhile, assembly of the eTopas 600 electric truck continues at Steyr Automotive's Austrian plant. The first production vehicle rolled off the line on 27 July 2026, using a semi-knocked-down (SKD) manufacturing process in which pre-assembled modules are integrated during final assembly in Austria. Steyr Automotive also handles commissioning and quality control. Key components are supplied from China, including the dual-motor electric axle, power electronics and thermal management system.
By the end of July, six vehicles had been delivered in Europe. In Poland and the Czech Republic, Lontex acts as SuperPanther's commercial and technical partner, providing servicing, telematics and depot charging support. For aftersales services, the manufacturer signed an agreement with Alltrucks in September 2025 covering maintenance, repairs and round-the-clock roadside assistance across Europe. SuperPanther aims to deliver around 100 vehicles in 2026, rising to 1,000 by the end of 2027. The first deliveries went to DHL, Gress, Temmel and Lontex. Since September, DHL Freight has been operating the eTopas 600 in the Netherlands and on routes connecting the country with Belgium, covering around 2,000 kilometres a week on various routes. The logistics group has also published the results of a trial carried out in Austria during the spring: approximately 1,900 kilometres covered over two weeks, averaging 238 kilometres a day, with energy consumption of 102 kWh per 100 kilometres.
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