BYD Unveils Electric Heavy-Duty Truck ETT 44, Aiming for European Market Entry and Localized Production in 2027

On September 14 local time, BYD unveiled its flagship electric heavy-duty truck, the ETT 44, at the IAA Transportation 2026 commercial vehicle show in Hanover, Germany. Li Ke, Vice President of BYD and head of international business, stated at the event that BYD plans to launch its first heavy-duty truck, the ETT 44, in the European market in 2027 and ultimately achieve localized production in Europe. She said, “In the long run, all products we sell in Europe will be manufactured locally.” BYD is currently building a factory in Szeged, Hungary, with mass production scheduled to begin in 2027. Li Ke noted that once all vehicles sold in Europe are produced locally, “we will become a European company.” She also said BYD aims to offer fleet operators a comprehensive suite of services, including financing, solar-powered charging infrastructure, workshop networks, and mobile roadside assistance. Regarding import tariffs, Li Ke stated they pose only short-term pressure until localized production scales up. The BYD ETT 44 is a 4×2 heavy-duty tractor capable of supporting a gross combination weight of up to 44 metric tons. It is equipped with a 651 kWh Blade Battery and an 851-volt architecture, delivering a rated power of 743 hp and a peak output of up to 1,000 hp. BYD claims the ETT 44 offers a maximum range of 600 kilometers, with the battery backed by a warranty of 10 years or 1.2 million kilometers. When charged via a standard CCS2 DC charger at a maximum power of 420 kW, the battery can charge from 20% to 80% in approximately one hour. With BYD’s Megawatt Charging System (MCS), charging power exceeds 1.5 MW, enabling a 20%–80% charge in about 20 minutes—adding up to 248 miles (approximately 399.1 kilometers) of range. In addition to the ETT 44, BYD also showcased rigid 4×2 and 6×2 trucks—including 26-ton swap-body and hooklift variants—as well as the E-Vali light commercial vehicle and the EYT 2.0 electric terminal tractor, covering a payload range from 3.5 to 44 metric tons. These vehicles come standard with advanced driver-assistance and safety systems, including adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, and blind-spot detection. BYD also introduced its Total Cost of Mobility model, bundling vehicles with Blade Batteries, megawatt chargers, stationary energy storage, energy management, and financing solutions. The company stated that its commercial vehicles are already operating in over 100 countries and more than 400 cities. Additionally, BYD reported installing 10,000 units of its 1,500 kW chargers within five months and plans to deploy 15,000 megawatt chargers across China while expanding its flash-charging network to Canada.