Image: Sany Sany is one of several Chinese manufacturers aiming to gain a foothold in the European electric truck market. Around nine months ago, the group announced plans to launch a battery-electric tractor unit for long-haul transport under its Sany eTrucks division. Although initial deliveries were expected to start in early 2026, that timeline was not fully met. Deliveries have now officially begun. “The first vehicles have been in operation on German roads since spring 2026,” Kevin Eichele, Head of Product and Business Development at Sany eTrucks Europe, told electrive. The main target markets are the DACH region and Spain. However, Eichele declined to disclose the recipients of the first trucks. Sany is already established in Europe through its construction machinery and commercial vehicle business, including electric models such as the 8×4 408P and e435 chassis. In China, the group is the country’s largest heavy machinery manufacturer. Germany has become a key European hub for Sany since the company acquired German concrete pump specialist Putzmeister in 2012. Sany operates sites in Bedburg and Aichtal. Putzmeister adapts China-built EVs for Europe With its Sany eTrucks division, the manufacturer is expanding into the market for long-haul electric trucks. The division carries the suffix ‘supported by Putzmeister,’ underlining its European focus. Putzmeister is responsible for adapting the vehicles to local requirements, providing customer support and establishing a European service infrastructure for parent company Sany. For the launch of the new electric trucks, Sany has also partnered with multi-brand workshop specialist Alltrucks. Alltrucks will provide maintenance, diagnostics and repair services for Sany electric trucks across Europe. Image: Sany Image: Sany Image: Sany Image: Sany Image: Sany Image: Sany Image: Sany Sany disclosed several technical details of the e263 last year. The 4×2 model uses an in-house-developed electric axle with dual motors delivering 420 kW of continuous power and 730 kW peak power. Sany specifies torque at 1,000 Nm, rising to 1,760 Nm at peak. The truck also features an 800-volt architecture and a 636 kWh LFP battery from Eve Energy, enabling a range of ‘more than 500 kilometres.’ Newly released information shows that 623 kWh of the gross battery capacity is usable, equivalent to ‘98% of the gross energy content.’ Sany also offers an eight-year or 1.2 million-kilometre battery warranty and guarantees a battery State of Health (SoH) of at least 70%. For the first time, Sany has also provided an estimate of energy consumption: “At 40 tonnes, consumption ranges between 0.9 and 1.2 kWh/km, depending on topography and ambient temperature, which is on par with comparable models,” Eichele states. Initially, the company aims to focus on applications with depot charging and predictable routes, such as system transport or the port and construction industries. “This also aligns well with the service concept involving Alltrucks and their 650 workshops across Europe,” added the Sany manager. Payload of up to 25 tonnes Sany has now provided an initial estimate for energy consumption. “At 40 tonnes, consumption ranges between 0.9 and 1.2 kWh/km, depending on topography and ambient temperature, which is on par with comparable models,” Eichele said. The company initially plans to focus on applications with depot charging and predictable routes, such as system transport and the port and construction industries. “This also aligns well with the service concept involving Alltrucks and their 650 workshops across Europe,” added the Sany manager. The electric truck also includes three optional power take-offs (PTOs). The first is an mPTO, a separate electric motor with 45 kW continuous power for operating hydraulic or mechanical equipment while driving. The second is a gPTO, a gearbox-mounted PTO on the electric axle with 210 kW, suitable for applications such as tipping trailers, walking-floor trailers, or silo trailers. The third is an ePTO (22 kW, 400V interface), for example, for refrigerated trailers. Payload, a key factor for many logistics operators, varies depending on the body type. Eichele cites several examples: combined with a Kögel Light Plus curtainsider trailer, the new Sany truck achieves a payload of 25.2 tonnes “with even loading and a 42-tonne gross combination weight.” With the Putzmeister P12 mixer trailer, payload amounts to 21.8 tonnes, while a tipper trailer with a tare weight of 5.8 tonnes enables a payload of 24.7 tonnes. The examples provide an indication of the loading capacity of the e263. Pricing remains undisclosed However, Sany has not disclosed pricing details. “We always agree on prices individually with our customers,” said the Head of Product and Business Development at Sany eTrucks Europe. In recent months, Eichele has repeatedly stressed that the vehicle ‘will be significantly more affordable in terms of both purchase price and total cost of ownership compared to currently available models.’ However, the company has not specified by how much. The e263 is produced in Changsha, China, where Sany opened a new factory in 2019 with an annual production capacity of 300,000 trucks. The vehicles are then shipped to Europe, where Putzmeister adapts them to meet local market requirements. Unlike other Chinese challengers in the European electric truck market, such as startups Windrose or Superpanther, Sany eTrucks is an established manufacturer and market leader in China. “The technology is mature and fully serialised, which is why we can now focus particularly on TCO and the aftersales network in Europe,” Eichele emphasised in an interview with our German colleagues at electrive last year. Sany reportedly delivered more than 21,000 electric tractor units in China last year, bringing the total number of electric Sany tractors in operation there to 50,000. According to Eichele, the company already exports various models to South America, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, India, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, and Vietnam. In Europe, Sany aims to build on this experience and benefit from the economies of scale enabled by mass production in Changsha. Sany eTrucks is already preparing for the IAA Transportation trade fair, which will take place in Hanover from 15 to 20 September 2026. Eichele said the company is planning a ‘major’ presence at the event, where it will showcase not only the newly launched 4×2 electric tractor unit but also ‘new models and an outlook for 2027.’
Liked by Justin Leblanc, Mia Tremblay
Liked by Justin Leblanc, Mia Tremblay
Liked by Justin Leblanc, Mia Tremblay
