| 1 | Export Compliance | Confirm whether the proposed vehicle specification complies with the destination country’s vehicle, road-use, customs, and safety requirements. | Type-approval documents, conformity certificates, VIN information, customs documents, and destination-market compliance statements. | 15% | Reject suppliers unable to provide market-specific compliance evidence before payment. |
| 2 | Emission Standard | Check the engine emission level, fuel quality requirement, exhaust after-treatment system, and availability of diagnostic support. | Engine certificate, emission test report, after-treatment specification, and maintenance procedure. China VI is a Chinese regulatory standard and may not equal the destination market’s standard. | 12% | Match the complete powertrain system to local fuel, climate, altitude, and inspection conditions. |
| 3 | Payload and Weight Rating | Compare gross vehicle weight, axle ratings, curb weight, body weight, payload, and legal axle-load limits. | Vehicle specification sheet, weighbridge record, axle-load certificate, chassis drawing, and body-builder calculation. | 12% | Use the legally permitted payload rather than the advertised maximum payload. |
| 4 | Application Fit | Evaluate suitability for long-haul freight, construction, mining, municipal service, distribution, or other intended operations. | Duty-cycle analysis covering road surface, average load, daily distance, gradient, ambient temperature, and operating hours. | 12% | Select the chassis, wheelbase, suspension, cab, and body configuration according to the actual duty cycle. |
| 5 | Reliability and Testing | Review durability testing, component quality controls, warranty failure rates, and field performance in comparable climates. | Quality-management certification, test reports, inspection records, warranty statistics, and references from comparable fleet operators. | 12% | Give preference to verifiable operating data instead of brochure claims. |
| 6 | Parts and Service Support | Confirm spare-parts availability, technical response time, service coverage, diagnostic tools, and technician training. | Parts list, service-level agreement, local service partner details, stock plan, troubleshooting manuals, and training schedule. | 12% | Calculate downtime risk and parts lead time as part of the total purchase cost. |
| 7 | Safety Equipment | Check braking, lighting, visibility, seat-belt systems, electronic stability features, driver-assistance equipment, and cab protection. | Applicable approval documents and test evidence for braking, electromagnetic compatibility, indirect vision, cab strength, and electric safety where relevant. | 10% | Verify the exact production configuration; optional safety equipment must be written into the contract. |
| 8 | Total Cost of Ownership | Assess purchase price, freight, import duties, fuel or energy consumption, maintenance, tyres, insurance, and resale value. | Five-year operating-cost model based on local fuel prices, annual mileage, maintenance intervals, parts prices, and expected downtime. | 8% | Do not select solely on the lowest factory quotation. |
| 9 | Manufacturing and Inspection Quality | Review production consistency, traceability, incoming-material inspection, final inspection, and pre-shipment testing. | Factory audit, independent inspection report, serial-number traceability, inspection checklist, and shipment photographs. | 5% | Use an independent pre-shipment inspection for the first order and major fleet purchases. |
| 10 | Commercial and Contract Risk | Confirm payment terms, delivery schedule, warranty scope, liquidated damages, documentation, intellectual-property rights, and dispute resolution. | Signed technical annex, pro forma invoice, warranty policy, packing list, bill of lading requirements, and clearly defined acceptance criteria. | 2% | Use a staged payment structure linked to document approval, inspection, and shipment readiness. |