The electrification of commercial vehicles has entered a singularity moment

Author | Zhou Zhiyu

Editor | Zhang Xiaoling

Battery giants are entering the commercial vehicle all-scenario track with unprecedented density.

On January 22, CATL officially launched the Tianxing II light commercial all-scenario customized series solutions. CATL is extending its reach into four core scenarios: urban distribution, intercity transport, last-mile delivery, and cold-region transportation, while also introducing the industry's first intelligent management app for power batteries—“Battery Butler” Tianxing version. The super battery swap stations compatible with both passenger and commercial vehicles will increase to 100 by 2026.

This battery giant, with a market value exceeding one trillion, is attempting to shed the label of a mere "hardware supplier" and enter the commercial vehicle sector, which is crucial to the trillion-yuan logistics lifeline, as a "smart manufacturing platform."

Currently, the commercial vehicle sector is booming. According to Liu Xuguang, deputy general manager of Foton Motor, and other industry insiders, the overall sales volume of China's commercial vehicle market is expected to reach 4.25 million units this year, with the penetration rate of new energy exceeding 35%. By the end of 2024, this figure was only 10%.

Clearly, the electrification of commercial vehicles has entered a singularity moment, and CATL aims to accelerate this process.

CATL's Chief Technology Officer Gao Huan provided a set of data at the press conference: as of now, the Tianxing light commercial series has established partnerships with 46 vehicle manufacturers, resulting in 678 new models, with a cumulative shipment volume exceeding 210,000 units. However, he emphasized that as market competition intensifies and terminal price wars continue to squeeze profits, manufacturers and vehicle owners no longer need one-size-fits-all products, but rather productivity tools that can accurately calculate returns.

This shift means that batteries are no longer just a component of vehicles but are defined as a core asset that can directly influence the operators' "accounts."

CATL's role is also being reshaped: it is both an integrator of hardware with extreme performance and a "business partner" that empowers end customers to reduce costs and increase efficiency, calculating every penny of profit.

The Tianxing II from CATL follows a scenario-driven approach. In response to the extremely complex application conditions of commercial vehicles in China, CATL has adopted a highly pragmatic "scenario-driven" route for the Tianxing II.

For the intercity freight market, which accounts for over 45% but had an electrification rate of less than 12% previously, CATL has launched the Tianxing II light commercial long-range version. This product is equipped with the industry's largest single-pack capacity of 253 kWh, achieving an ultra-long actual range of 800 kilometers.

Data shows that by utilizing off-peak electricity for charging, a single light truck can save up to 150,000 yuan in fuel costs per year. To alleviate long-distance drivers' concerns, CATL has also introduced a "10 years or 1 million kilometers" warranty plan, promising zero degradation in the first year, attempting to hedge against volatility in logistics operations with this "certainty."

To completely break through the "electric vehicles cannot cross the Shanhaiguan Pass" barrier, the Tianxing II has launched the industry's first mass-produced sodium battery for light commercial vehicles—the Tianxing II light commercial low-temperature version.

The significance of sodium batteries lies in their excellent low-temperature adaptability. In extreme environments of minus 20 degrees, this battery can still retain over 92% of usable capacity; even in a 10% state of charge (SOC) under discharge conditions, it can still support the fully loaded vehicle to climb a 10-degree steep slope. This breakthrough in extreme cold zones is seen by analysts as key to achieving "no restricted areas nationwide" for new energy commercial vehicles For urban distribution scenarios, the supercharging version has lowered the charging window to minus 15 degrees, achieving an 80% charge in 30 minutes. In response to the high-frequency demand in the "last mile" of end scenarios, the high-temperature supercharging version utilizes electrolyte technology with "high-temperature self-healing gene" materials, allowing the battery to maintain a cycle life of 5,000 times even at 45 degrees Celsius, supporting an ultra-long warranty of up to 600,000 kilometers over 8 years.

CATL also simultaneously launched the industry's first intelligent management app for power batteries, "Battery Butler" Tianxing version. Gao Huan pointed out that in the past, the battery status was like a "blind box," leading to a lack of trust in used car transactions. "Battery Butler" can generate a health score with one click and even activate an "emergency supercharging" mode during peak orders. In addition, CATL, in collaboration with Dr. Cha, established a "used car inspection system and valuation model," attempting to address the chronic issue of low residual value for electric vehicles from the asset side. Rough estimates suggest that light trucks equipped with Tianxing batteries can have a residual value difference of over 10,000 yuan compared to competitors.

At the same time, CATL is accelerating the layout of chocolate battery swap stations, planning to complete 3,000 stations by 2026, aiming to further reduce the purchase cost by 10% through "separation of vehicle and battery."

Through Tianxing II, CATL has conveyed a clear signal to the industry: future competition will no longer be about breakthroughs in single battery parameters, but rather systematic victories based on real operational scenarios.

As Gao Huan stated, the market is changing, and demand is continuously upgrading, urgently requiring adaptable full-scenario customized solutions.

Battery giants are collectively deepening their focus on commercial scenarios, driven by the capture of policy window periods and existing value.

In 2026, the "trade-in" policy will enter a new cycle of quality improvement and efficiency enhancement. Multiple brokerages have pointed out that the precision of subsidies in 2026 will increase, with a clearer trend towards new energy commercial vehicles. For example, in the operational truck sector, subsidies for purchasing new energy products can reach up to 140,000 yuan, which is 30,000 yuan more than purchasing a National VI diesel truck. This substantial policy difference is accelerating end users from hesitation to replacement.

When the originally vague metrics of range, degradation, and residual value are quantified into certain data on the books, the second half of commercial vehicle electrification has officially evolved from a simple hardware parameter competition to the ultimate confrontation of asset return on investment (ROI).

In this struggle for dominance over "productive tools," CATL is not only defending its throne but also defining what true value is for the entire industry. From the ice fields of Yakeshi to the freight trunk lines of South Guangdong, the gears of transformation have just begun to turn