LOVOL has been present on the European market since 2004. Even amid increasingly stringent emissionrelated restrictions, the company has never abandoned this market. Following LOVOL’s integration into the Weichai Group, the Chinese machinery brand has strengthened its position across Europe. In Portugal, LOVOL is represented by the Agricultural Division of Auto-Industrial Group.
At the 2026 National Agricultural Fair (FNA) held in Santarém, Lei Zhang gave an exclusive interview to Abolsamia magazine, laying out LOVOL’s clear Europeanmarket strategy built around three pillars: product, quality and price.
Question: Could you tell us about LOVOL’s strategy for Europe — and for Portugal in particular — over the next few years?
Lei Zhang: LOVOL has operated in Europe since 2004. Over the next five to ten years, we will launch more solutions that meet the general requirements of the European market as well as the specific needs of the Portuguese market. We keep developing more products tailored for premium level European requirements. We are building a global spare parts hub in Belgium to serve Europe. It is scheduled to become fully operational in August or October.
Question: What horsepower ranges is LOVOL focusing on?
Lei Zhang: At present, we focus on the 25-130 hp power bracket. However, we are already developing larger tractors from 150 hp to 240 hp for large-scale farming operations. These models have already been tested in other markets, and European homologation procedures are underway. Our goal is to expand our product offering for both endcustomers and our business partners.
Question: Electric tractors represent an unavoidable trend in Europe. What is LOVOL’s strategy in this area?
Lei Zhang: It is a big challenge, yet it represents the future and is growing in importance. At the most recent Agritechnica exhibition in Hanover, we launched our first 25 hp electric tractor, which is now undergoing testing in China. We are also researching higher power versions ranging from 50 hp to 200 hp, covering both fullelectric and hybrid configurations. For higher power outputs of 150-300 hp, hybrid technology will most likely be the most suitable solution. For Europe, our first-wave offering will be low power electric tractors: the 25 hp and 40 hp models. Once their market performance proves successful, we will roll out higher power product lines.
Question: LOVOL has been active in Europe since 2004. In your view, what are the main challenges the European market poses for the brand?
Lei Zhang: As everyone in the industry knows, Europe has the world’s most demanding tractor market. The first major challenge is market diversity: each country has its own specific local requirements. The second challenge is fierce competition: all the world’s leading brands operate here — European manufacturers, American brands such as John Deere, and Japanese brands such as Kubota. That is exactly why Europe is strategically important for us. If we can establish ourselves successfully here, we will gain greater credibility in all other global markets. That is why we have invested in an in house R&D department and our own organisational setup in Germany. It demonstrates our long term commitment.
Question: Against this background, what are LOVOL’s key selling points to establish itself as a benchmark brand across Europe?
Lei Zhang: First: the product. We must deliver functions that European farmers actually need. Second: quality. We must guarantee quality matching local customer expectations. Third: price. We are not a newentrant brand in this market, but we still need to deliver a solid quality price ratio.
Product, quality and price — in exactly that order. Without good products and solid quality, even the best price brings no value.
Question: For European buyers, after sales support and fast access to spare parts are decisive purchasing factors. What guarantees can LOVOL provide in this respect?
Lei Zhang: We operate a three level spare parts support model. First: our local partners keep stocks of basic fast moving spare parts. Second: in selected countries, we maintain our own warehouses to back up those local partners. Third — and this is our major new development: we are constructing a global spare parts centre in Belgium, which enjoys a geographically central position for the whole of Europe. We received our first container shipment last month, and the second container will arrive this month. Full operational status is planned for August or October. For urgent breakdown cases, we will draw stock from our European warehouses to minimise machine downtime.
Question: What level of support can LOVOL guarantee for its dealer network?
Lei Zhang: For technical service work, we currently deploy three technicians covering Western Europe and six technicians for the whole of Europe including Eastern Europe. They travel across countries on a rotating basis, delivering training for distributors and sub dealers. We also provide complete digital technical documentation and service manuals accessible via an online platform. This is continuous work, and our rising sales volumes show that this approach is delivering results.
LOVOL is currently building its market position mainly in horsepower segments up to 130 hp, but the brand is preparing its push into one of the strongholds of the European tractor industry: the highpower tractor segment, alongside electric drive product development.