On October 20, the "Winning 2027" CATL Tianxing II Heavy Truck New Product and Qiji Battery Swapping Ecosystem Launch Event was held in Beijing.
Currently, heavy trucks account for only about 9% of the global vehicle population but are responsible for one-quarter of carbon emissions in the transportation sector, including aviation and shipping. Global decarbonization goals have become a strong driving force for the electrification transformation of heavy trucks.
CATL unveiled its optimal solution for the heavy truck ecosystem — the Tianxing II "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" Edition. Based on the battery swapping system, it splits the bottom-swap system "in two," decoupling it into two independently operating, functionally complementary battery systems, breaking the technical application boundaries of a single system and achieving all-around upgrades in performance, efficiency, and flexibility. The Tianxing II "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" Edition is mass-produced upon release, with the first batch of 13,000 units contracted. In addition, CATL also launched the Qiji battery swapping full-ecosystem solution, introduced multiple new policies for battery leasing plans, and released two cooperation models — "Qiji Battery Partner" and "Qiji Energy Replenishment Partner" — jointly launching the "CATL Qiji Battery Swapping Ecosystem" co-construction ceremony with 14 partners.
At the same time, targeting differentiated application scenarios, CATL released four charging products, including the Tianxing II rear-mounted ultra-light version, currently the lightest rear-mounted heavy truck battery in the industry for the same capacity; the Tianxing II rear-mounted ultra-thin version, the thinnest battery in the industry; as well as the Tianxing II bottom-mounted short-wheelbase and long-range versions, covering all scenarios and effectively meeting user needs.
"Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" Is the Optimal Solution for the Heavy Truck Ecosystem
In 2022, the penetration rate of electric heavy trucks was only 5.2%. In 2025, the penetration rate continued to rise, reaching 28.9%, while in September 2026 alone, it directly reached 50.28%. The oil-versus-electric battle in heavy truck electrification has ended, and the industry is about to enter the electric-versus-electric competition stage. Wang Jingzhu, Executive President of CATL's Heavy Industry Business Unit, believes that the most essential need of truck drivers and fleet operators is to obtain certainty of success. In the electric-versus-electric competition stage, one cannot look only at single-point advantages; one must focus on long-term value across the full lifecycle. CATL proposed the "Nine-Character Formula for Winning": fast payback, more profit, and high residual value. CATL's newly released "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" battery swapping system solution is a perfect response to the "Nine-Character Formula for Winning."
First, fast payback. "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" adopts an "A+B" model, where A is the bottom-swap battery pack and B is the range-extender pack that can circulate with the vehicle. The vehicle-battery separation model lowers purchase costs and speeds up payback. The bottom-mounted main drive battery does not need to be purchased and is instead leased. Combined with purchase subsidies, flexible battery leasing plans, and low-interest installment financial policies, the upfront one-time investment is reduced to the same level as fuel heavy trucks. At the same time, the battery pricing, lease-start, and lease-stop mechanisms follow vehicle deployment, peak and off-peak seasons, and second-hand disposal rhythms, converting part of the fixed costs into variable costs and avoiding rigid rental pressure for users during idle periods.
Second, more profit. Based on CATL's battery quality, the "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" battery also has lower energy consumption and higher energy density than the industry, helping truck drivers save electricity and money, and carry more and drive more. CATL's "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" also solves the problem of traditional battery swapping vehicles "not daring to use up the battery." Traditional battery swapping vehicles generally return to the depot at around 30% SOC; with the range extender system as a backstop, the bottom-swap main drive battery supports deep discharge, reducing the return-to-depot charge level to below 5% and improving battery utilization efficiency. At low battery levels, the system can also switch to the range-extender battery with millisecond-level seamless transition, ensuring continuous and stable power output and reducing downtime risk. Relying on Qiji's battery swapping capability, a full charge and departure takes only 5 minutes, maximizing time savings. Through centralized battery management, long-life design, and power redundancy, it can also reduce users' investment in battery maintenance, degradation management, and unplanned downtime.
Third, high residual value. The residual value of used vehicles equipped with CATL batteries is 10% higher than the industry. On this basis, "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension," by giving truck drivers self-held battery assets and adding exclusive battery subsidies, brings the residual value rate in line with fuel vehicles, reshaping the used electric heavy truck residual value evaluation system.
Wang Jingzhu stated that with the implementation of the "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" product and the improvement of CATL's Qiji battery swapping ecosystem, the battery swapping model will split the market evenly with the charging model. "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" is the optimal solution for the heavy truck ecosystem and will drive the heavy truck industry to fully enter the battery swapping era.
After the release of the Tianxing II "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension," CATL signed cooperation agreements with multiple companies, including China Post, Hunan Steel, Chongqing Logistics, Chengshi Group, SF Express, Jianlong Group, STO Express, Bashu Logistics, YTO Express, Hongsheng Group, and Xiaolong Transportation, with the first batch of 13,000 units contracted.
Qiji Battery Swapping Is the Optimal Solution for Electrifying Trunk-Line Logistics
In the electrification of heavy trucks, long-haul trunk-line transportation is widely regarded as the most difficult and highest-value area. Trunk-line transportation races against the clock, where time is directly tied to cost and any vehicle downtime means operational losses. Under the traditional charging model, the industry has mainly relied on stacking battery capacity and increasing charging rates in exchange for range and charging speed, ultimately falling into ineffective involution characterized by reduced payload, rising costs, and accelerated battery degradation.
Yang Jun, CEO of Times Qiji, believes that the real way to break through lies in charging network coverage and optimal resource allocation, and that Qiji battery swapping is the optimal solution for electrifying trunk-line logistics.
In highway trunk-line scenarios, four resources — land, time, power grid, and payload — are extremely scarce. The core advantage of CATL's Qiji battery swapping lies in achieving globally optimal allocation of these four scarce resources through network scheduling and model innovation.
In terms of time efficiency, Qiji battery swapping's 5-minute standardized energy replenishment can replace the uncertain 1 to 2 hours of waiting associated with traditional charging, enabling standardized management of vehicle scheduling and time commitments. To improve time efficiency, can heavy truck batteries replicate the passenger car 10C and 15C high-rate charging route? Gao Huan, CTO of CATL's Domestic Passenger Vehicle and Commercial Vehicle business, believes that there is no technical problem, but the economics do not add up. According to Joule's law, when current doubles, heat generation increases quadratically. Heavy truck batteries have large capacities, and blindly stacking high rates will lead to multiplied heat losses, with a large amount of electricity converted into heat and wasted during charging, requiring additional energy consumption from cooling systems. The dozen or so minutes saved by high rates often cannot offset the electricity loss and accelerated battery depreciation costs.
In terms of land efficiency, highway service areas are extremely valuable. Traditional charging spaces are occupied for 1 to 2 hours per session, while a single Qiji battery swapping station requires only 2 standard parking spaces and can serve nearly 200 vehicle visits per day, increasing energy service efficiency per unit of land fivefold.
In terms of payload efficiency, under the battery swapping model, batteries are fully charged in the station and ready for use once installed in the vehicle, eliminating the need to wait an extra 20 to 30 minutes for the final 10% trickle charge. Vehicles can depart fully loaded with a reasonable amount of charge, achieving "returning weight to payload, space to design, and range to mileage."
In terms of grid adaptation efficiency, battery swapping stations adopt a centralized, orderly slow-charging model. Combined with an intelligent energy scheduling system that links data across vehicles, stations, batteries, and the grid, they naturally achieve peak shaving and valley filling, avoiding the peak impact of high-power ultra-fast charging on the distribution network.
Currently, the country is vigorously advancing the construction of zero-carbon road transport corridors, laying out a 30,000-kilometer "5 radial, 4 vertical, 5 horizontal" zero-carbon corridor around the national expressway network. Qiji's "8 horizontal, 10 vertical" national battery swapping green network is highly aligned with and precisely matched to the national strategy. Qiji battery swapping is joining hands with provincial transportation investment groups, expressway groups, and logistics leaders across the country to jointly build a national-level heavy truck trunk-line energy replenishment network.
"Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" + Qiji Battery Swapping: Driving Heavy Trucks Fully into the Battery Swapping Era
Yang Jun, CEO of Times Qiji, stated that the real bottleneck in the industry has never been "whether electric trucks can run," but whether a positive business flywheel can be built that makes users dare to buy, fleets dare to operate, channels dare to invest, and the industry sustainable, so that every stakeholder in the electrification chain can benefit from participation. CATL plans to make heavy truck electrification truly work, run steadily, and win the future through a standardized foundation, nationwide new infrastructure, and a full-cycle ecosystem of co-construction, symbiosis, and mutual benefit.
Standardization Is the Prerequisite for Scale
First, Qiji battery swapping innovatively defines swap blocks by standardized volume and dimensions, releasing two all-new standardized swap blocks: 260# (432 kWh) and 300# (513 kWh), with 260# adapted to 3.8-meter wheelbase models and 300# adapted to 4.2-meter wheelbase models. The 260# and 300# swap blocks and the 77 kWh battery pack of "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" form a dual-core architecture. Through "built-in base charge + bottom-swap standard large battery," it becomes a platform-level product, and in the future, battery packs with different chemical systems and different capacities can be developed to adapt to all scenarios.
Second, the all-new Qiji battery swapping station 3.0, while maintaining 5-minute ultra-fast swapping and a 99.99% single-swap success rate, achieves upgrades in five dimensions: broader compatibility, higher efficiency, easier promotion, better cost, and better experience, with daily service frequency increased by 28% and station construction cost reduced by 10%.
In addition, the battery leasing plan has been comprehensively revamped, taking the lead in the industry to bill by charging amount, with all recovered kinetic energy electricity belonging to users. The per-kWh rental cost for basic package users can drop by up to 20%. The biggest advantage of the "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" product is flexible battery leasing and on-demand battery allocation — one-year minimum leases are available, new vehicles can delay lease start by up to 3 months, covering the gap period for registration and operational preparation; and leases can be stopped 2 months in advance during used vehicle transactions.
Overall, based on an average daily transport distance of 400 kilometers, the annual energy replenishment cost per "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" vehicle is 130,000 yuan less than that of a diesel vehicle. Across a full-cycle calculation covering purchase, energy replenishment, maintenance, finance and insurance, and residual value, the 3-year TCO is 70,000 yuan less than that of a battery-purchased electric vehicle and more than 460,000 yuan less than that of a diesel heavy truck.
New infrastructure is the skeleton of the ecosystem. Qiji battery swapping has already run through five major trunk lines — Guangdong–Shanghai, Chengdu–Wuhan, Cangzhou–Yulin, Ningde–Xiamen, and Hainan Island Ring — with stable network operation mileage exceeding 5 million kilometers. According to the plan, Qiji battery swapping will build 900 swapping stations by the end of this year, creating a 1.5-hour trunk-line energy replenishment circle; build 2,000 stations by 2027, achieving full coverage of the national expressway trunk network; and the long-term ultimate goal is to deploy 10,000 swapping stations, making electric heavy trucks the mainstream choice for China's trunk-line logistics.
Full-ecosystem co-construction, symbiosis, and mutual benefit is the necessary path. Qiji battery swapping links ecosystem forces such as OEMs, finance, insurance, channels, and the aftermarket, building a complete ecosystem product matrix around the full lifecycle of vehicle "buying, using, maintaining, and transferring," and releasing
Standardization Is the Prerequisite for Scaling Up.
First, Qiji battery swapping innovatively defines swap blocks by standardized volume dimensions, releasing two all-new standardized swap blocks: 260# (432 kWh) and 300# (513 kWh), with 260# adapted to 3.8-meter wheelbase models and 300# adapted to 4.2-meter wheelbase models. The 260# and 300# swap blocks and the 77 kWh battery pack of "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" form a dual-core architecture. Through "built-in basic charge + bottom-swap standard large battery," it becomes a platform-level product, and in the future battery packs with different chemical systems and different capacities can be developed to adapt to all scenarios.
Second, the all-new Qiji Battery Swapping Station 3.0, while maintaining 5-minute ultra-fast swapping and a 99.99% first-swap success rate, achieves upgrades in five dimensions: broader compatibility, higher efficiency, easier promotion, better cost, and better experience, with daily service frequency increased by 28% and station construction costs reduced by 10%.
In addition, the battery leasing plan has been comprehensively revamped, becoming the first in the industry to charge by electricity consumption, with all energy-recovery electricity belonging to the user. The per-kWh rental cost for basic package users can drop by up to 20%. The biggest advantage of the "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" product is flexible battery leasing and on-demand battery allocation — leases can start from one year, new vehicles can delay lease start by up to 3 months, covering the window period for registration and operational preparation; and leases can be stopped 2 months in advance during used vehicle transactions.
Overall, based on an average daily transport distance of 400 kilometers, the "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" saves 130,000 yuan per vehicle per year in energy replenishment costs compared with diesel trucks. Based on a full-cycle calculation covering purchase, energy replenishment, maintenance, finance and insurance, and residual value, the 3-year TCO saves 70,000 yuan compared with a battery-purchased electric truck and more than 460,000 yuan compared with a diesel heavy truck.
New infrastructure is the skeleton of the ecosystem. Qiji battery swapping has already run through five major trunk lines — Guangdong–Shanghai, Chengdu–Wuhan, Cangzhou–Yulin, Ningde–Xiamen, and the Hainan Island Ring — with stable operating mileage across the network exceeding 5 million kilometers. According to the plan, Qiji battery swapping will build 900 swap stations by the end of this year, creating a 1.5-hour trunk-line energy replenishment circle; 2,000 stations by 2027, achieving full coverage of the national expressway trunk network; and the long-term ultimate goal is to deploy 10,000 swap stations, making electric heavy trucks the mainstream choice for China's trunk-line logistics.
Full-ecosystem co-construction, symbiosis, and mutual benefit is an unavoidable path. Qiji battery swapping links ecosystem forces such as OEMs, finance, insurance, channels, and the aftermarket, building a complete ecosystem product matrix around the full lifecycle of vehicle "purchase, use, maintenance, and transfer," and releasing two cooperation models — "Qiji Battery Partner" and "Qiji Energy Replenishment Partner" — achieving an industry upgrade from "selling a vehicle" to "jointly operating a vehicle." CATL has launched the "Hundred Cities, Hundred Sites" partner recruitment, aiming to join hands with 1,000 partners this year and a cumulative 10,000 partners in three years, with three supporting cooperation policies: in insurance, Qiji battery swapping users have achieved smooth nationwide insurance coverage, with average premiums reduced to 24,000 yuan, and the first 3,000 "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" units purchased through cooperative channels receive a 12,000 yuan rebate per vehicle on car insurance; in finance, "Partner Battery Order Financing" has been launched, allowing partners to obtain additional credit lines with Qiji battery repurchase contracts, and the first 1,000 partners can obtain zero-cost supply chain finance solutions; in used vehicles, value-preservation benefits are being offered to the first 10,000 "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension" first owners, up to 15,000 yuan per vehicle.
To meet the vehicle usage needs of China's largest-volume standard-load short-haul scenario, CATL has created the lightest rear-mounted heavy truck battery in the industry for the same capacity — the Tianxing II Rear-Mounted Ultra-Light Edition. On the premise that capacity, safety, and lifespan are not compromised, it is half a ton lighter than the industry average at the same capacity. Based on conventional operating conditions in short-haul scenarios, the extra cargo carried can earn an additional 12,000 yuan per year. At the same time, it significantly lowers battery height and the center of gravity, giving drivers a clear rear-window view and making cornering and high-speed driving more stable and safer.
For engineering dump trucks that frequently start and stop under heavy loads, escape from mud, and climb long slopes on construction sites, mines, and mountainous areas, CATL has targeted the three major pain points of "reduced cargo volume, slow acceleration, and high energy consumption" to create the industry's thinnest rear-mounted battery — the Tianxing II Rear-Mounted Ultra-Thin Edition. Battery thickness has been reduced from 860 mm to 580 mm. Combined with a short cab, the cargo box length is increased to 8.8 meters, with loading capacity equal to that of a fuel truck. Based on conventional operating conditions, loading volumes that originally required 10 vehicles can now be completed with only 9, generating an additional 25,000 yuan in revenue per vehicle per year.
For the inherent shortcomings of traditional long-wheelbase electric heavy trucks in mountainous curves, port maneuvering, and narrow in-plant roads, CATL has launched the Tianxing II Bottom-Mounted Short-Wheelbase Edition. With a bottom-mounted battery layout matched to an ultra-short vehicle wheelbase, it mass-produces 3.35-meter wheelbase models, on par with traditional fuel heavy trucks and 0.45 meters shorter than the industry-common 3.8-meter wheelbase, truly achieving "oil-electric same wheelbase," and supports a minimum vehicle wheelbase of 3.2 meters. The shortened wheelbase reduces the turning radius and improves passability, with a more stable posture when climbing steep slopes.
For long-haul trunk-line scenarios, CATL has released the Tianxing II Bottom-Mounted Long-Range Edition based on a comprehensive calculation of purchase cost, deadweight loss impact, and operational efficiency. With 760 kWh of electricity, it achieves a single-charge range of over 600 kilometers, allowing most inter-provincial trunk lines to be reached directly on a single charge. Paired with an 800V high-voltage platform, it replenishes 300 kilometers of range in 20 minutes, allowing a full-charge departure during the time it takes to rest and unload at a distribution center, and offers an ultra-long warranty of 1.5 million kilometers.
Currently, more than 430,000 electric heavy trucks nationwide are equipped with CATL battery products, accounting for more than 70% of the entire industry. At this critical period when the heavy truck industry is upgrading from the oil-versus-electric battle to the electric-versus-electric competition, CATL's "Battery-to-Battery Range Extension," as the best solution for the heavy truck ecosystem, together with Qiji battery swapping, is driving the heavy truck industry fully into the battery swapping era through a layout of "standardization, new infrastructure, and full ecosystem"!
