Chinese electric trucks set for UK market entry
2025 is likely to be the year of the Chinese truck as far as the UK is concerned. Yutong, which enjoys success in the British passenger transport market with 800 electric coaches and buses already sold, is set to launch a 7.5-tonner into the market in the second quarter, and Northern Ireland manufacturer Wrightbus is importing a reworked 7.5 tonne BEV from Chinese manufacturer JAC.
Battery and vehicle giant BYD also has right-hand drive European spec vehicles waiting in the wings.
Like the Yutong PCVs, the T75e truck is imported by Pelican Engineering, a long-established British truck dealer which began to represent the Chinese vehicles ten years ago after the disappearance of the Foden marque. Last year, a Yutong electric coach made headlines with the launch of a carbon-neutral coach service linking Newport, Bristol and London. Yutong itself is the world’s largest bus and coach manufacturer with a global market share of 12 per cent.
The Yutong T75e truck has the option of a 100kW or 132kW battery. The higher battery capacity version will have a range of over 180 miles. Its unladen chassis-cab weight is under 3,000kg and the vehicle has been developed to be compatible with a range of body types covering the key UK sectors such as box, tipper, curtainside, compactor, and insulated bodies, with three different ePTO options.
Yutong wholly owns and controls the key component supply chain, manufacturing the motor, motor controller, e-drive axle and battery packs in-house.
“This is a very exciting development for us,” explained Richard Crump, managing director of Pelican Engineering. “If the UK is to satisfy its net zero ambitions, then the decarbonisation of the commercial vehicle sector is a crucial part of the jigsaw.
“We believe the 7.5-tonne sector is the easiest sector to electrify and the Yutong truck chassis, combined with our cost-effective charger and battery storage solution provided by Pelican AEAuto, brings operators a readymade solution for their zero emission needs.
“As with the bus and coach sector, we will be working with the Yutong service team, based in the UK, to bring these trucks to market. We intend to service and maintain the new vehicles through a combination of strategically located vehicle management units, supported by the team at our Castleford head office.
“Clearly as we grow our truck market footprint, we will continue to expand the service offering and we will be appointing new sales and service agents in due course.”
Meanwhile Wrightbus has launched the RT75 UK, a 7.5-tonner built by JAC in China, in left-hand and right-hand drive versions, alongside buses in 6m and 9m lengths under the Ballymena company’s new Rightech brand, with the aim of selling across the UK, Ireland and Europe.
The RT75 UK has 107 kWh of battery storage capacity using packs supplied by CATL. Using a 100 kW DC charge via the CCS 2 socket, the packs can be recharged from 20 to 80 per cent in about 50 minutes. An 11 kW AC charge point will deliver the same charge in five hours. A 100 per cent charge will deliver around 144 miles (232 km) of range.
The liquid-cooled permanent magnet synchronous motor is rated for 90 kW, while delivering maximum torque of 1,050 Nm (standard 550 Nm). Max ePTO is 26 kW.
Two wheelbase lengths are available: 3,845 mm and 4,475 mm. Curb weight is 3,320 or 3,370 kg, giving maximum payload and bodyweight is 4,170 kg or 4,120 kg. It has a bumper-to-bumper warranty of three years/62,000 miles.
The battery is covered for eight years and 250,000 miles and Rightech claims the RT75 UK offers a better total cost of ownership than an ICE equivalent, largely driven by the lower cost of electricity v diesel.
Wrightbus CEO Jean-Marc Gales said the company’s involvement would give the product an advantage over other Asian imports which had not been supported by dedicated local-market OEM sales and marketing teams, 24/7 service network, telematics software and route optimisation tools.
All new products will be supported by a Wrightbus warranty, service and maintenance package, backed by what is claimed to be the largest fleet of mobile technicians in the UK.
Rightech has also struck a service agreement with Sapphire for the UK, adding 14 regional workshops to the existing three operated by Wrightbus – Ballymena, Bicester and Warwick. For Europe, Rightech has service providers in Germany, France and Benelux, in addition to the Wrightbus regional service headquarters in Brühl.
Ryze Power, part of a portfolio of net zero companies run by Wrightbus owner Jo Bamford, will provide class-leading charging infrastructure and expertise, says Wrightbus, while W-Tech, the technology and research centre it set up in conjunction with Queen’s University Belfast, will help bus and truck operators optimise routes for ultimate efficiency within the fleet.
Wrightbus engineers have spent more than 30,000 hours bringing the vehicles up to Wrightbus standard – independently testing, homologating, designing and validating every element.
Bamford, who bought Wrightbus out of administration in 2019, said Rightech would help accelerate the decarbonisation plans for all transport and fleet operators.
“Given the very tangible effects of climate change on our planet there’s simply no time to waste,” he said.
“Each one of my businesses is focused on energy transition, from vehicles, hydrogen and sustainable fuels through to supply, distribution and infrastructure.
“But operators need to act now with affordable solutions in front of them. Rightech has the answer – offering an incredible product with the backing of Britain’s best bus manufacturer.”
Jean-Marc Gales added: “We want to be a global mobility business and to do this we need to broaden our product portfolio. Our factory continues to increase production of full-size single and double-deck buses but to meet demand in the zero-emission midi-bus sector this partnership makes sense. The quickest way to decarbonise truck and bus fleets is to electrify immediately.
“Rightech will solve these problems, backed by our portfolio of net-zero companies which will provide more jobs and opportunities for our workforce in Northern Ireland, the rest of the UK and Europe.”
JAC’s domestic line-up includes heavy-duty fuel-cell electric trucks, suggesting possible synergies with the Wrightbus fuel cell bus products.
