September 2024 Newsletter

Hello everyone,

It’s already September, marking the arrival of autumn in China. Autumn, a season that embodies harvest and the culmination of efforts, holds great promise for all of us. I sincerely wish that in the year 2024, each of you will enjoy a season of abundant blessings and rewarding achievements.

According to the latest data released by the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM), China’s commercial vehicle market achieved robust growth in the first half of 2024. Production and sales of commercial vehicles reached 2.005 million and 2.068 million units respectively, marking a year-on-year increase of 2% and 4.9%. This achievement underscores the remarkable resilience of the commercial vehicle market and signals a gradual recovery from the downturn, embarking on a new phase of development. Notably, new energy commercial vehicles emerged as a standout performer, with sales surpassing approximately 220,000 units in the first half, a staggering 120% year-on-year growth. The LNG truck segment also delivered impressive results, accumulating sales of nearly 110,000 units, soaring 104% compared to the previous year. Furthermore, commercial vehicle exports experienced significant growth, totaling 454,000 units, up 25.7% year-on-year, injecting fresh momentum into the industry’s expansion.

Several crucial standards and regulations of commercial vehicles are either being implemented or undergoing revision. Firstly, a pivotal standard related to braking safety, the recommended national standard ” Performance requirement and testing methods for electronic braking system(EBS) of commercial vehicles” (GB/T 44287-2024), was published on August 23rd and will come into effect on March 1st, 2025. This standard outlines the performance requirements and testing methods for EBS.

Secondly, a standard focused on safety access for commercial vehicles is currently open for public consultation. Led by the Ministry of Transport, multiple entities are collaborating to revise the transportation industry standard titled “Safety Technical Conditions for Commercial Cargo Vehicles.” The proposed amendments include mandatory installation of Electronic Stability Control (ESC) and Autonomous Emergency Braking Systems (AEBS) for all trucks and semi-trailer tractors, as well as EBS for trailers.

Thirdly, to advance vehicle energy efficiency and emissions reduction, the Ministry of Transport issued the “Notice on Further Improving the Scrapping and Replacement of Old Commercial Cargo Vehicles” in August 2024. This notice emphasizes accelerating the phase-out of diesel-powered commercial vehicles that meet or exceed National III emission standards and continuously promoting the replacement of outdated vehicles. This initiative underscores the commitment to reducing carbon emissions within the transportation sector.

Regarding the advancement of modular transport system, a pilot program for container modular transportation has been initiated in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of China. The vehicle type employed was 18 B-double units, which can carry two 20-foot ISO standard containers. Across two pilot routes, these vehicles have safely completed approximately 1,200 trips, transporting roughly 65,000 tons of coal. The pilot project has yielded remarkable results, reducing transportation costs by 28.6%, transportation energy consumption by 30%, and carbon emissions by 18%. These achievements demonstrate significant progress in energy conservation, emission reduction, cost efficiency, and productivity enhancement.

张浩 博士 / ZHANG Hao

HVTT Forum Vice President: Asia