Chongqing - SAIC Hongyan, a major heavy-duty truck manufacturer in Chongqing's Liangjiang New Area, has expanded its reach to Latin America by shipping pure electric traction trucks to Costa Rica from Shanghai Port, following its recent entry into Chile.

The new energy heavy-duty trucks of SAIC Hongyan have been delivered to Costa Rica. (Photo/SAIC Hongyan)

This strategic leap emphasizes SAIC Hongyan's dedication to integrating with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) while intensifying efforts to capture overseas markets. Beyond Costa Rica, the company has accelerated its truck exports to nations like Russia and Indonesia, achieving a substantial export volume of 4,000 units this year.

Xiong Zhu, head of SAIC Hongyan's international business division, underscored the company's commitment to meeting diverse market needs in BRI countries through meticulous service and high-quality products. 

Notably, ratifying the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership has significantly reduced tariffs in Indonesia from 10% to 0%, enabling SAIC Hongyan's products to penetrate the local market at more competitive prices. Consequently, sales in Indonesia witnessed a year-on-year surge of 300%, with orders surpassing 400 units.

To further bolster sales in Indonesia, SAIC Hongyan has tailored product enhancements, focusing on improvements in braking efficiency and equipping trucks with R24 large tires for optimal performance on local terrain.

Leveraging its expertise in new energy, SAIC Hongyan has also successfully exported various types of new energy heavy-duty trucks. These trucks received over 30 certifications from the EU's WVTA as early as 2022, becoming China's first pure electric traction trucks to pass such approvals. It has also undergone trial operations in Chile's lithium salt and copper mining areas.

The production line of SAIC Hongyan. (Photo/SAIC Hongyan)

The Liangjiang-made pure electric traction trucks, capable of transporting up to 26 tons with a driving range of 150 kilometers, perfectly cater to transportation needs from mining areas to ports. These trucks stand as Chile's first commercial electric heavy-duty trucks.

Xiong emphasized SAIC Hongyan's substantial investment in technological research and application for new energy products, resulting in a range of new energy heavy-duty trucks meeting green transport needs. These trucks have earned the trust and preference of both domestic and international customers.

Chongqing is actively cultivating a world-class, intelligent, connected new energy vehicle industry cluster. Liangjiang New Area stands as the hub for Chongqing's automotive industry development, boasting an industrial chain encompassing ten car manufacturers and over 200 core component enterprises, with a total output value of nearly 300 billion yuan (about 42 billion U.S. dollars).