CATL has taken a major step in heavy-duty truck electrification. Its subsidiary, Qiji Energy, has launched the longest battery swap route for trucks in China. The route covers key logistics corridors and targets faster, lower-cost freight transport.
CATL Qiji Energy Launches 1,250 km Battery Swap Route
On December 23, Qiji Energy announced a new battery swap corridor spanning 1,250 km. The route runs along the Shanghai–Chengdu Expressway through Sichuan, Chongqing, and Hubei. It supports long-distance freight operations without long charging stops.
Qiji Energy focuses on battery swap solutions for heavy-duty trucks. The company states its stations support over 95% of mainstream truck models. Trucks from different brands complete a battery swap in about five minutes.
Battery System and Swap Flexibility
Each battery module delivers 171 kWh of capacity. Trucks use one to three modules per swap. This setup lets operators select capacity based on route length and load.
Drivers and fleet managers reserve swaps through Qiji Energy’s cloud platform. The system also helps plan routes and reduce downtime.
Operating Cost Savings and Emissions Reduction
CATL reports annual operating cost savings of 30,000 to 60,000 yuan per truck. This equals about 4,300 to 8,500 USD. Savings come from lower energy costs and reduced idle time.
The company also highlighted carbon reduction benefits. A diesel heavy-duty truck driving 200,000 km per year at 33 L per 100 km produces about 174 tons of carbon emissions. This equals the annual carbon absorption of 9,643 trees.
CATL’s Battery Swap Strategy
Zhang Kai, CTO of CATL’s battery swapping business, outlined a two-stage rollout. The first phase targets business customers. The second phase expands to consumers.
He stated the business market shows clear demand and faster adoption. The consumer market helps CATL gather feedback and strengthen brand presence.
Qiji Energy’s Nationwide Expansion Plan
By 2030, Qiji Energy plans to build a national battery swapping network covering around 180,000 km. The network aims to support 80% of China’s truck line-haul capacity. It will also connect 16 major city clusters.
China Heavy-Duty Truck Market Growth
China’s heavy-duty truck market continues to grow. In November, sales reached 113,000 units, up 65.4% year on year. This marked eight straight months of growth.
New energy heavy-duty trucks accounted for 28,000 units in November. This represented a 178% year-on-year increase. Market penetration exceeded 30% for the first time.
From January to November, cumulative sales of new energy heavy-duty trucks reached 187,000 units. Penetration rose to 25.95%, up from 12.54% a year earlier.
