December 2025 was recorded in the past of Chinese transport as a breakthrough: for the first time in dense burden trucks registrations electrified vehicles (NEV) overtaken conventional diesel.
In the last period of the year 45 300 fresh NEV trucks were registered, representing 54% of full sales in the segment.
Throughout 2025, the share of NEV trucks reached 29%, almost twice as much as in 2024 (14%), which confirms the accelerated marketplace transformation.
Key growth factors are:
- Time pressure: Withdrawal of vehicle replacement subsidies and expectations of taxation changes in 2026 led companies to accelerate their purchases by the end of the year.
- Economic advantage: According to expert estimates, an electrical truck in a 10-year operating cycle saves about 1.2 million RMB (about EUR 146 000) compared to a combustion vehicle, mainly due to lower energy costs and lower service costs.
- Technological innovation: CATL, battery marketplace leader, introduced a platform in 2024 Tectrans (formerly Tianxing) and fast battery replacement strategy Qiji, which allows to replenish energy in a fewer minutes – a key solution for long distance logistics.
marketplace dynamics:
| Index | Value 2025 | Amendment r/r |
| NEV registrations (total) | 231 100 pieces | +182% |
| NEV participation in December | 54% | first time >50% |
| Average yearly penetration | 29% | +15 pp. |
| Increase of the full truck market | +21% | stable demand |
The ICCT global Clean Transport Commission study shows that the zero-emission truck marketplace has reached a level of maturity comparable to the exhaust segment. The top 5 players – XCMG, SANY, FAW, Shacman and Yutong – control 61% of the NEV market, while the diesel section dominates 5 another producers (FAW, Dongfeng, Foton-Daimler, Shaanxi Auto, Sinotruk) with 75% share. This parallel suggests that the electrical transformation does not destruct existing marketplace structures, but shifts them to fresh technologies.
Ningde Times (CATL) plays a key function in the electrification of the utility sector. The company not only provides batteries, but besides builds infrastructure: by the end of 2026 it plans to launch 900 battery exchange stations for trucks within the brand Qijiand in the passenger section – 3000 stations Chocolate Swap. Modular 171 kWh batteries let you to adjust the scope to the needs of the route, which solves 1 of the main logistics dilemmas
Experts stress that the improvement of long-distance charging infrastructure and standardisation of battery exchange systems will be a key challenge for the coming years. If current trends persist, by 2030 NEV's share in the Chinese truck section could exceed 70%, making China the planet leader in zero-emission logistics.
Source:
Author: 梁安基 Andrzej Z. Liang, 上海 Shanghai, 中国 China
Email: [email protected]
Editorial: Leszek B.
Email: [email protected]
