Scania’s Christian Levin to preside ACEA’s truck division

Swedish Scania Trucks veteran Christian Levin was elected chair of the Commercial Vehicles Board of ACEA for 2025. He sees a monumental challenge for the European truck and bus sector—one that requires the complete reimagination of an entire ecosystem: the transition from ICE to zero-emission vehicles. And that is a transition of “a magnitude unprecedented in both ambition and speed.”

Levin is currently President and CEO of Scania and the whole Traton Group, which includes truckmakers MAN, Volkswagen Truck & Bus, and American truck and bus maker International. The man, who holds a Master’s degree in Engineering Science from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, is a loyal soldier of Scania.

Loyal Scania soldier

He started as a marketing trainee right after his studies and worked his way up to the top in 24 years. Levin has been CEO of Scania since May 2021 and CEO of Traton SE since October 2021. Prior to this, he was Traton’s COO. Before, he was Managing Director of Scania Switzerland and Italy, Executive Vice President of Commercial Operations, and later EVP of Marketing and Sales.

After Volvo Group in 2023 (with Martin Lundstedt) and DAF Trucks’ President Harald Seidel (2024), Levin is now the one to defend the truck and bus sector within the broader European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA).

The chair of the Commercial Vehicles subdivision rotates each year between  DAF Trucks, Daimler Truck, Ford Trucks, Iveco Group, MAN Truck & Bus, Scania, and Volvo Group (with Renault Trucks).

The chairmanship of the ACEA umbrella organization went to Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of the Mercedes-Benz Group, who assumed this function on 1 January 2025.

Critical driver for Europe

In a first press release, Levin sets the tone: “The European truck and bus industry is a global leader in technology and innovation—a true cornerstone of European excellence. It is a critical driver of our continent’s competitiveness, supporting millions of highly skilled jobs across the region. Trucks and buses are not just vehicles but the lifeblood of a prosperous, connected, and sustainable society.”

“However, our industry operates in a highly regulated environment, all while facing intense competition on the global stage. Today, our industry is undergoing the most transformative shift in its history: the transition to zero-emission powertrains.”

Forward-thinking

“For this transition to succeed, policies and regulations must be forward-thinking, pragmatic, and relevant. Bold, visionary targets are essential to lead the way, but they must be paired with enabling conditions and predictable, long-term incentives to create stability and drive investment.”

As ACEA is the automotive industry’s primary lobbying body in Europe, he sees a distinct role for politicians. “Policymakers must ensure that the regulatory framework is fully aligned at the European and member state level and supports the industry’s transition.”