BYD has presented the ETT 44, an electric tractor unit, at IAA Transportation in Germany. The Chinese automaker is extending its commercial-vehicle range beyond buses and passenger cars, positioning the new truck as a rival to the Tesla Semi and Mercedes eActros 600. Its design follows a conventional high-roof tractor layout, with a sleeper cab for the driver.
The ETT 44 is named for its apparent 44-tonne gross vehicle weight. The tractor itself weighs 11 tonnes and produces up to 735 kW, or about 1,000 hp. BYD says its 651 kWh Blade battery can deliver a range of up to 600 km. Charging from 20% to 80% is claimed to take 20 minutes, adding as much as 400 km of driving range. The first version uses a 4x2 layout; a three-axle 6x2 variant is planned, but its range has not been disclosed.
Cabin equipment includes a 12.8-inch display, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. BYD also says the battery is covered by a 10-year or 1.2-million-kilometre warranty. The truck is based on a dedicated electric platform that the company intends to use for other trucks as well.
BYD is presenting the ETT 44 as part of a broader commercial-vehicle offering that combines batteries, megawatt-range charging, energy storage and financial services. The company also has new 26-tonne 4x2 and 6x2 trucks on display, and says its lineup will span vehicles from 3.5 to 44 tonnes, alongside specialist vehicles.