Chongqing - SAIC Hongyan announced that its Genlyon H6 tractor completed the trial operation in a lithium salt mining area in northern Chile, which started in mid-February and became the first electric heavy truck to be commercialized in the country.

Claudio Rivas, a veteran, working in a transportation company located in a mining area, was the first driver to try an electric tractor in the fleet.

"What impressed me most is that the car made few noises, making the driving very pleasant. And this electric truck is easy to handle with operations similar to traditional gasoline or diesel trucks. And it also performs well in loading and unloading and on the road," said Rivas.

Operation Manager Jose Ramos was also satisfied with the truck's performance. "Chile is making its way into a carbon-neutral country. The trial operation of the heavy electric trucks is improving the world into a better place," he said.

Genlyon H6 can meet the demand for transporting lithium salt from the mining area to the port of Tocopilla. (Photo provided by SAIC Hongyan)

Compared with traditional diesel trucks, Genlyon H6 battery-electric tractors will reduce carbon emissions by 90 tons annually, which turns them into a vital contributor to the reduction of carbon emissions, according to the data released by the company.

SAIC Hongyan, based in Chongqing Liangjiang New Area, is China's first exporter of heavy electric trucks. According to Xiong Zhu, Director of International Business, the mining area in Chile was willing to increase procurement because of the truck model's outstanding performance.

Electric heavy trucks are one of the key sectors of the company. Leaving aside overseas markets, SAIC Hongyan has sold over 1,000 heavy trucks in Kashgar of Xinjiang, Tianjin, Shanghai, Linyi of Shandong, and Macheng of Hubei. These trucks have been mainly put into use in steelworks, power plants, and ports.

On May 18, Genlyon H6 electric tractors became the first Chinese electric truck model to pass the EU Whole Vehicle Type-Approval System (WVTA) test. WVTA, based on Regulation (EU) 2018/858, is recognized as one of the world's most valuable approval systems. Receiving the certificate marks that made-in-Chongqing electric heavy trucks have internationally competitive key technologies, which allow the trucks to be traded in the EU, the market with the strictest regulations.

Lou Jianping, General Manager of SAIC Hongyan, said the company would develop a new energy product matrix covering electric and heavy hydrogen trucks. They plan to expand overseas markets further, boost industrial transformation and upgrading, and help China achieve peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality.