Electric Semi-Trailers Are Next Step in Greening China’s Roads

(Bloomberg) — The battle for supremacy in electric vehicles started in the passenger car segment, with hundreds of companies in China fighting for individual buyers’ attention. Now, it’s truck makers’ turn to wave goodbye to gasoline and diesel power.

China, the world’s biggest market for EVs, also has clear green-trucking potential. The China freight transportation market is worth almost $860 billion, the largest globally, according to McKinsey. As of September, there were 32 million semi-trailers plying the nation’s roads and highways, hauling cargo across a land mass almost the size of Canada. Considering China’s rapid economic development and the rise of e-commerce, demand for trucks — particularly heavy duty ones — has been soaring.