Class 8 truck orders climb 18% in September as fleets turn to 2027 models

North American Class 8 truck orders rose in September as fleets began shifting attention to model-year 2027 equipment, according to FreightWaves on Oct. 5.

Preliminary net orders totaled 21,300 units in September, an 18% increase from August and 3% above the same month last year, according to FTR Transportation Intelligence. Year-to-date orders through September reached 263,499 units — up 95% from the same period in 2025 — and orders over the past 12 months totaled 351,244 units. FTR said the EPA 2027 nitrogen oxide pre-buy has ended while surcharge-free model-year 2026 engine production slots are essentially sold out; some manufacturers closed their 2026 order books early, which may have pushed deferred orders into September.

The cost picture for 2027 engines is still taking shape. FTR senior analyst Dan Moyer said nonconformance penalties could mean a $6,000 to $7,000 pass-through cost per truck, compared with an $8,000 to $12,000 upcharge for a fully compliant 2027 engine — but the final EPA rule could still change the math. “The final EPA rule could still materially alter the economics of these strategies,” Moyer said. Manufacturers are opening 2027 order books before the EPA's 2027 NOx rule is finalized, so truck prices could shift once the final rule lands.