(JW Insights) Oct 5 -- China’s vast domestic market and strong government commitment have combined to push Chinese NEV companies to the global forefront of technological innovation, reported Xinhua on October 4.

After a heavy truck pulled in, a pair of robotic arms emerged from the ground to pluck out the battery pack from the vehicle's chassis. A moment later, the robotic arms reemerged with a fully-charged battery pack for installation.

"Compared with diesel ones, this new-energy truck can save me RMB300-400 ($42-55) a day. It is easier to drive and more environmentally friendly," Peng, a truck driver, said.

The 420-km expressway linking Ningde and Xiamen - two cities in southern China’s Fujian Province, has four battery-swap stations, launched in late August to serve a fleet of 100 electric heavy trucks. The stations were built by Chinese battery giant CATL and Fujian Expressway Group.

"There are more than 9 million heavy trucks running on China's expressways. Accounting for only 3 percent of the country's total vehicle number, heavy trucks emit more than 40 percent of the carbon emissions (of vehicles in China)," said Zeng Yuqun, board chairman of CATL, who hailed the green potential of the battery-swapping highway.

China is the world's largest NEV producer and market. In the first seven months of this year, China saw its NEV sales surge 41.7 percent year on year to 4.53 million units, official data showed.

In its latest work plan for the auto industry, the Chinese government said it aims to bring this year's NEV sales to 9 million units, an increase of 30 percent year on year. It also said testing of full vehicle electrification for public transportation will be started in pilot zones.

In addition, the country is focused on boosting the construction of charging infrastructure, especially in the vast countryside, to promote the use of NEVs in the rural market, according to a government guideline released in May.

Ningde-based CATL, for instance, has revealed plans to mass produce its new lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery "Shenxing" by the end of this year. It allows for "superfast charging" capable of delivering 400 kilometers of driving range with a 10-minute charge, according to the Xinhua report.

(Gao J)