BYD’s 600km electric semi takes aim at Europe’s diesel giants

BYD has unveiled its most ambitious electric commercial vehicle yet for Europe, combining a 651-kilowatt-hour battery, up to 1,000 horsepower and more than 1.5 megawatts of charging power in a heavy-duty semi/tractor designed for loads of up to 44 tonnes.

The ETT 44, unveiled at IAA Transportation 2026 in Hannover, gives BYD a flagship entry into Europe's long-haul truck market at a time when established manufacturers including Mercedes-Benz, Volvo, MAN and Scania are racing to make battery-electric freight commercially viable.

BYD says the 4x2 semi can travel up to 600 km on a charge and replenish its battery from 20% to 80% in about 20 minutes using the company's "megawatt charging system".

That charging session can add as much as 400 km, or about 248 miles, of range, according to the company.

The significance goes beyond the truck itself.

BYD is attempting to sell European fleets an integrated package of vehicle, battery, charging infrastructure, energy storage and financing — an approach that could give the Chinese manufacturer an advantage as trucking companies grapple with the biggest obstacle to long-haul electrification: making sure trucks can charge quickly enough without losing productive driving time.

A 44-tonne electric truck

The ETT 44 is built for combinations with a gross train weight of up to 44 tonnes.

It uses BYD's Blade Battery with 651 kWh of capacity and an 851-volt electrical architecture.

The truck has a rated output of 743 PS and peak power of up to 1,000 PS.

BYD quotes a maximum range of about 600 kilometres, although actual range will depend on payload, weather, road conditions, driving style and other operating factors.

The battery is covered by a 10-year or 1.2-million-kilometre warranty, according to specifications released for the European launch.

On conventional CCS2 charging, the ETT 44 can accept up to 420 kW and recharge from 20% to 80% in roughly an hour.

The headline number is the megawatt charging capability.

Connected to BYD's Megawatt Charging System, the truck can take more than 1.5 MW and complete the same 20%-80% charging window in around 20 minutes.

“Less time charging. More time on the road,” BYD Executive Vice-President Stella Li said while presenting the company's commercial-vehicle technology.

That is essentially the central proposition behind megawatt charging for electric freight.

A passenger car can afford to spend 20 or 30 minutes charging. A commercial truck represents an income-generating asset, and every hour spent stationary can affect delivery schedules, vehicle utilisation and fleet economics.

BYD is bringing more than one truck

BYD's European push does not depend on the ETT 44 alone.

The company presented an expanded commercial-vehicle portfolio at Hannover, including 4x2 and 6x2 rigid trucks, 26-tonne swap-body and hooklift models, the E-Vali electric light commercial van and the EYT 2.0 electric yard tractor.

The portfolio now spans vehicles from about 3.5 tonnes to 44 tonnes, allowing BYD to target everything from urban deliveries and distribution fleets to heavy long-distance freight.

The ETT 44 also comes with a broad package of driver-assistance and safety technology, including adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance and blind-spot detection.

BYD is positioning the range as an integrated mobility proposition rather than simply a collection of vehicles.

The company says its commercial vehicles already operate in more than 100 countries and more than 400 cities.

BYD's bigger weapon: 1.5-MW charging

The ETT 44's most important feature may ultimately be the charging system rather than its headline range.

BYD has been rapidly building a network of 1,500-kW Flash Charging stations in China.

The company said in August that it had installed its 10,000th 1.5MW charger, doubling the network in less than five months. BYD is targeting 20,000 such chargers by the end of 2026, with the network already covering hundreds of Chinese cities.

The company also plans to expand the technology overseas, including thousands of chargers in Europe.

That gives BYD something most traditional truck manufacturers do not possess on their own: a rapidly expanding charging ecosystem directly linked to the company's battery and vehicle businesses.

For truck operators, that could become important.

Buying an electric tractor without reliable high-power charging is of limited value. Conversely, installing megawatt chargers without enough compatible trucks leaves expensive infrastructure underused.

BYD is trying to solve both problems simultaneously.

For now, BYD's 600-kilometre ETT 44 is another electric truck on paper. The more consequential development may be what sits beside it: a 1.5MW charger, a battery business and a plan to manufacture in Europe.