Charging, swapping networks tilt logistics economics toward electric fleets At a dusty lot an hour outside Beijing, a steady stream of vehicles come and go for a quick battery charge -- just one node in China's rapidly expanding network of electric trucks. While the country's prowess in electric passenger vehicles has long been known globally, electric trucks have only recently gained traction. Now powered by extensive charging and battery-swapping infrastructure, the cost structures clearly favour electric models, experts say, in a potentially fatal blow for conventional diesel rigs. "Last year was the breakthrough for heavy electrified vehicles in China," Lauri Myllyvirta, co-founder of the Centre for Research on Energy and Clean Air and expert on China's energy consumption, told AFP. "If the infrastructure is there, the economics are there for an increasing number of logistics routes and requirements," he said. Adoption of alternatives to diesel trucks in the world's second-largest economy has noticeably accelerated in recent years. New-energy models accounted for 29 percent of all domestic truck sales in China last year, up from 14 percent in 2024, according to data from Beijing-based market intelligence provider Commercial Vehicle World. The penetration rate was less than one percent as recently as 2021, according to the firm. Manufacturers say they expect that share to continue swelling, potentially reaching a majority of sales in just a few years. At the bustling charging station in Beijing's Miyun District, 43-year-old truck driver Wang told AFP how his job had changed since he started driving an electric model last year. "It's such a breeze!" he said after plugging in the charging cables. "My old vehicle had over 10 gears, and its operation was so cumbersome. But with this one, you don't have to do a thing -- it's all automatic." Asked why he thought logistics firms