TAIYUAN, May 28 (Xinhua) -- High operational costs, significant emissions, and increasing restrictions on road access -- the major challenges facing diesel heavy trucks in China are being solved.
The next-generation battery-swapping ecosystem for heavy-duty trucks, aiming for 50 percent electric penetration within three years, is poised to decarbonize freight transport.
Battery giant CATL unveiled its "#75 standardized battery model" and all-scenario chassis-based swapping solution earlier this month, promising the lowest lifecycle cost per tonne-kilometer and industry-leading safety.
According to Yang Jun, CEO of CATL’s Qiji Energy, the newly-launched model is a standardized battery developed specifically for medium- and heavy-duty trucks. It is designed to address the practical issues associated with both conventional diesel trucks and ordinary electric trucks.
"By adopting a special design, the battery is positioned at the bottom of the truck, offering a natural advantage in space structure. This lowers the vehicle’s center of gravity and allows for cab-rearward configurations, further enhancing driver safety. The bottom-mounted battery layout also frees up an additional 5 to 7 percent of cargo space," Yang said.
Data shows that for trucks adopting this battery swap solution, operating 100,000 kilometers annually could save users 0.62 yuan per kilometer compared to diesel vehicles, resulting in an additional annual income of over 60,000 yuan (about 8,350 U.S. dollars) per vehicle.
The system has already demonstrated cost reduction and emission control in real-world applications.
In east China’s Shandong Province, the battery swap station operated by Shandong Weiqiao Pioneering Group, which serves bauxite transportation, recorded an annual battery swap volume exceeding 18 million kilowatt-hours. Maintenance savings alone for the fleet of 200 battery-swapping heavy trucks amounted to 4 million yuan over the course of a year.
Shanxi Province in north China, a major hub for heavy-duty truck transportation, has issued China’s first local standard specifically targeting chassis-based battery swap stations for new energy heavy trucks, which is set to take effect on July 10.
In 2024, the heavy-duty truck sector has seen notable progress. Energy density of power batteries has increased, vehicle range has improved, and the market for electric heavy-duty trucks has expanded steadily.
Total sales reached 82,000 units, a 140 percent increase year-on-year, with a penetration rate exceeding 10 percent, according to official data.
Meanwhile, the number of battery-swapping heavy trucks continues to grow rapidly. From January to March 2025, a total of 30,476 new energy heavy trucks were sold nationwide, with battery-swapping models accounting for 32.39 percent.
The rising share of new energy heavy trucks plays a vital role in advancing low-carbon development. In 2024, road transport accounted for 85 percent of total carbon emissions in the transportation sector -- significantly higher than the shares from air, rail and water transport.
Heavy-duty freight trucks, although comprising only 3 percent of the total vehicle fleet, were responsible for approximately 43 percent of road transport carbon emissions, highlighting the crucial importance of electrifying heavy trucks in achieving China’s transportation decarbonization and dual carbon goals.
In 2020, the State Council’s government work report included battery swap stations for the first time in the scope of new infrastructure development.
According to CATL, the company plans to build 300 battery swap stations by 2025 across 13 key regions across China.
"By 2030, we plan to establish a nationwide green battery swap network spanning 150,000 kilometers, and form 16 major city cluster networks. This will significantly contribute to cost reduction and emission cuts in China’s heavy-duty trucking sector," said Yang.
原文地址：http://en.people.cn/n3/2025/0528/c90000-20321038.html