China’s commercial vehicle electrification is entering a rapid scale-up phase. As of this year, over 9,000 public charging stations dedicated to heavy-duty electric trucks have been built nationwide, covering major logistics corridors, industrial clusters, ports, and mining zones.
High-power charging is expanding
A growing share of these stations are equipped with ultra-fast, high-capacity chargers:
| Charging type | Power level | Share of deployed stations |
|---|---|---|
| Standard DC fast chargers | 180–360 kW | Majority of urban and depot sites |
| High-power truck chargers | 720–1,000 kW | Increasing deployment on freight corridors |
| Megawatt-scale chargers | Up to 1,440 kW | Now appearing at flagship hubs and highway logistics parks |
Many newly built hubs provide 10–40 charging berths per site, enabling multiple trucks to charge simultaneously to support long-haul operations.
Coverage along logistics routes
More than 70% of heavy freight routes between major cities now have truck-compatible charging or battery-swap access.
Over 200 logistics parks and highway service zones have added dedicated high-power charging for 40-ton EV trucks.
Port and mining areas are emerging priority zones, where vehicles operate in closed loops and benefit most from low-cost electricity.
Lower operating cost than diesel
With improved charging efficiency and preferential electricity tariffs for commercial EVs, operators report:
Per-kilometre energy cost is now 15–30% lower than diesel, depending on region and load.
Maintenance cost is also reduced due to fewer moving engine parts and regenerative braking systems.
Fleet operators running electric trucks on fixed urban routes are seeing payback periods shorten to 3–5 years, especially where nightly charging is used.
Scaling for the next phase
To support further adoption, power companies and charging operators are building:
Smart energy management systems to reduce peak power demand
Megawatt charging hubs for long-haul 40–60 tonne trucks
Battery-swap stations for high-frequency delivery fleets
Industry analysts say China’s accelerated build-out indicates that commercial EVs are shifting from demonstration to mass deployment, and the total network could surpass 12,000 heavy-truck charging stations within the next two years.
