Linyi new-energy commercial vehicles race onto global market

On Nov 2, Chery Commercial Vehicle signed an agreement in Linyi, East China's Shandong province, for the country's first demonstration operation project of unmanned logistics vehicles, further expanding the city's new-energy commercial vehicle industry map.

In just a few years, the industry has achieved a breakthrough from zero: from the Leichi mini trucks delivering gas cylinders on township roads of Hubei, to electric heavy trucks recharging along the Beijing-Shanghai expressway, and to Linyi-made hybrid trailers shuttling on transport routes in Guinea.

The rise is no accident. Relying on its advantage as China's logistics capital, Linyi boasts massive freight scenarios and huge replacement space for new-energy commercial vehicles, forming a solid triangle of logistics, freight and new energy. "With the passenger vehicle track so crowded, Linyi did not squeeze into it. Instead, the city leveraged its own trade and logistics scenarios to focus on new-energy commercial vehicles — a viable path for prefecture-level cities to develop vehicle manufacturing," said Wang Xinchao, head of the new energy vehicle technology program at Linyi Vocational College of Science and Technology.

The municipal government has set up a special task force for the industry chain, building a complete system from raw material supply and core parts to vehicle manufacturing and demonstration applications. The chain now has 73 enterprises above designated size, which generated 17.4 billion yuan of output value in 2025, up 27.9 percent — the fastest growth among the city's 13 key industry chains.

In the red-ocean market, local companies pursue differentiation. Shandong Leichi New Energy Vehicle Co, based in Linyi Lingang Economic Development Zone, invested nearly 200 million yuan in developing its T10 mini truck alone and has become the only company in China dedicated to the mini truck segment. Its products now serve diverse scenarios: gas delivery trucks on township roads, inspection vehicles in the Karamay oilfield, box trucks for fresh food, small motor homes, pet grooming vans and intelligent logistics unmanned vehicles jointly developed with Zhishi Intelligence. The T10 has been iterated to its third generation with forward development, offering multiple cargo box options and three range versions.

Over three years, Leichi has sold more than 30,000 vehicles, with models certified for Europe, Southeast Asia and South America and over 1,000 vehicles shipped overseas every month. DeepWay, an intelligent electric heavy truck brand jointly built by the Shiqiao Group and Baidu, targets long-haul logistics, ranking among the country's top 10 in intelligent heavy truck sales, with orders covering the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Latin America and Central Asia.

Chain leader companies complement each other and pull the whole chain forward. In the first three quarters of this year, the industry chain's output value reached 16.8 billion yuan, nearly matching last year's total. Luoxiang Group, whose semi-trailer sales have ranked first in China for 10 consecutive years, is building a project to produce 60,000 tons of key castings a year for axles and brakes, achieving 100 percent in-house production of its six core components. This year, its semi-trailer sales are approaching 30,000 units, up 30 percent, with more than 300 trailers exported to over 20 countries.

Challenges remain: local supporting industries concentrate on structural parts such as frames and cargo boxes, while batteries, electronic controls and chips still rely heavily on external procurement. In response, Linyi has strengthened its new-energy commercial vehicle industry technology research institute, building a collaborative system of "research institute plus functional platforms plus enterprises". Leichi has deepened cooperation with Linyi Vocational College of Science and Technology and Qingdao University of Technology, with its jointly developed intelligent driver assistance system entering mass production this year. The Lingang zone is promoting the coupling of the steel and new-energy vehicle industries, building a full chain of "lightweight materials and recycling — core components — vehicle manufacturing" with Weiqiao and the Shiqiao Group.

Guo Feiyue, an official of the municipal task force, said the industry is at a critical stage from initial agglomeration to chain upgrading, and once annual vehicle production and sales exceed 40,000, the agglomeration effect will witness a qualitative change. From zero to an expected annual output value of over 20 billion yuan this year, Linyi's new-energy commercial vehicle industry is accelerating toward a broader blue ocean.

Editor：韩蒙蒙