BYD（比亚迪）unveiled the ETT 44, its first heavy-duty electric tractor for the European market, at IAA Transportation 2026 in Hannover on September 14, with deliveries scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2027. The launch extends the Chinese manufacturer’s European commercial-vehicle range into long-haul trucking, alongside a broader commitment to eventually produce locally everything it sells in Europe.
The ETT 44 is a 4x2 tractor rated for a gross combination weight of 44 tonnes. Its 651 kWh Blade lithium iron phosphate battery supports a claimed range of up to 600 km. BYD says the vehicle supports charging above 1.5 MW through its megawatt charging system, taking the battery from 20 to 80 percent in about 20 minutes; a 420 kW CCS2 connection takes approximately an hour. The announced battery warranty covers 10 years or 1.2 million kilometres. These specifications form the company’s initial pitch to operators assessing whether electric trucks can meet demanding duty cycles.
The first vehicles will be manufactured in China and imported. Executive vice president Stella Li（李柯）said European production is the long-term direction, although BYD has yet to announce a truck manufacturing location or production timetable. The commitment comes as European manufacturers, including MAN, press for trade measures on Chinese electric trucks. Local manufacturing could reduce BYD’s exposure to future trade restrictions, but the announcement does not yet establish how or when that transition will happen.
Fleet economics will be central to competition. In a September report, Transport & Environment estimated that a German operator using an electric truck from a Chinese entrant could achieve approximately 12 percent lower total ownership costs than with a European equivalent, saving up to EUR43,000 over five years. Those figures reflect the organisation’s operating assumptions and vehicle comparisons; they do not establish the ETT 44’s purchase price or actual operating costs.
BYD is pairing the truck with financing, charging infrastructure, energy storage, electricity management and after-sales support, including workshops and mobile roadside assistance. For freight operators, the commercial value of that package will depend on charging availability, maintenance response and how reliably the vehicle fits existing routes and schedules.
For Chinese commercial-vehicle manufacturers, the launch illustrates an expansion from vehicle exports into the infrastructure and services needed to operate overseas fleets. BYD’s integrated battery and energy businesses give it several parts of that offering. The next test is execution: converting the announced specifications into reliable deliveries, service coverage and fleet performance, while turning a long-term localisation commitment into a defined manufacturing plan.
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