Zhao Aimin of SAIC MAXUS: From Light Buses and Pickups to Heavy Trucks, Accelerating the Construction of a Global NEW ENERGY Commercial Vehicle Matrix

　　At the 2026 Hannover International Transport Expo (IAA Transportation 2026), SAIC Commercial Vehicles brought a multi-dimensional product lineup covering light commercial vehicles, pickups, and heavy commercial vehicles.

　　Zhao Aimin, head of the preparatory group for SAIC Commercial Vehicles' overseas company and deputy general manager of SAIC MAXUS, gave an interview to Transport People Network, discussing topics such as SAIC Commercial Vehicles' product system, NEW ENERGY technology, European market expansion, and the globalization of Chinese commercial vehicles.

　　What products and technologies did SAIC Commercial Vehicles bring to this IAA?

　　Zhao Aimin: SAIC Commercial Vehicles has always been committed to the development of green NEW ENERGY in the light commercial vehicle segment.

　　We have formed a product layout ranging from eDELIVER 5 and eDELIVER 7 to eTERRON 9. This time, the eDELIVER 75 all-electric light truck is also our first exhibition in Europe. At the same time, we grandly launched the 420L heavy truck series, exhibited an L4 autonomous driving RoboVan, and technologies such as bidirectional charging.

　　In the future, SAIC Commercial Vehicles will gradually form a full-range NEW ENERGY solution globally covering pickups, light commercial vehicles, and heavy trucks.

　　In recent years, as Chinese commercial vehicle companies and products expand overseas, what upgrades have occurred in their core competitiveness?

　　Zhao Aimin: The development of NEW ENERGY in Chinese passenger vehicles, both in China and globally, has achieved remarkable results. The development of NEW ENERGY technology is also beginning to further extend into the commercial vehicle sector.

　　In recent years, we have accumulated a great deal in NEW ENERGY, especially in the "three electrics." At this launch event, we also introduced 16-in-1 and even 18-in-1 electric drive technology. In the past, many components might have worked together to form one system; now, through a high degree of integration, more technologies are merged.

　　For the NEW ENERGY development of commercial vehicles, this technology path can bring higher efficiency, more optimized costs, greater reliability, and lighter weight.

　　After entering the European market, how does SAIC Commercial Vehicles understand local user needs?

　　Zhao Aimin: The European commercial vehicle market is a very mature market. Different categories, industries, and usage scenarios all have different definitions of commercial vehicles.

　　In the process of development, SAIC Commercial Vehicles has also encountered these issues. Therefore, we need to understand customer needs more deeply and carry out customized development.

　　Especially in the context of NEW ENERGY, some scenarios were difficult to achieve with traditional energy models in the past, such as external power supply. NEW ENERGY models can use power batteries to provide external power supply capability, solving more scenario-based operational problems for customers.

　　For example, construction work vehicles can use the vehicle itself for external power supply, and pickups can do the same. Refrigerated trucks used to rely on the engine to drive refrigeration; now they can also use batteries to provide energy for refrigeration equipment. Therefore, the development of NEW ENERGY technology will also gradually change the usage scenarios of European commercial vehicles.

　　What core value does NEW ENERGY technology bring to overseas customers?

　　Zhao Aimin: From the perspective of future development, the usage and maintenance costs of diesel and gasoline models are relatively high. Under different countries and different energy price conditions, the per-kilometer energy consumption and maintenance costs of electric vehicles may bring significant cost optimization. For small businesses and logistics companies, this will create relatively direct value and will also be more environmentally friendly.

　　In terms of intelligentization, how will SAIC Commercial Vehicles advance applications in the European market?

　　Zhao Aimin: This time we placed the unmanned vehicle in a relatively important position on the booth, also hoping to take this opportunity to showcase our unmanned technology to everyone.

　　This technology has already been explored in a large number of operational scenarios in China. Next, we will also try to achieve breakthroughs with European companies in some application scenarios.

　　European regulations are relatively strict, so we can first carry out some leading and pioneering applications in specific scenarios.

　　How do you view the development of global commercial vehicles in the next 10 years?

　　Zhao Aimin: I think we still need to stay grounded and carry out product definition and market development around the usage scenarios and needs of commercial vehicles in different regions of the world.

　　In the next decade, commercial vehicles themselves may, like the electrification of passenger vehicles over the past decade, undergo relatively major changes in NEW ENERGY and autonomous driving technology.

　　In the future, there may be fewer and fewer drivers, and drivers' wages will also become higher and higher. As regulations continue to improve and autonomous driving technology continues to advance, markets such as Europe and the Americas may also further promote the entry of related technologies into commercial vehicle application scenarios.

　　What advantages do Chinese commercial vehicle companies have in going global? What do they need to make up for?

　　Zhao Aimin: I think the greatest advantage of Chinese commercial vehicle companies is that they are relatively flexible and diligent, and they have the determination to achieve technological breakthroughs. Technological leadership, hard work, and firm confidence in globalization are all our advantages.

　　Now, from Africa and Latin America to Europe, Chinese automakers can be seen, which itself is a signal that Chinese automobiles are going global.

　　However, in the process of globalization, Chinese automakers also need to further consider how to closely integrate with local scenarios, local culture, and local human culture, and truly become an enterprise that serves the world and is understood and accepted by global markets. This requires us to devote more energy to research.

　　How will SAIC Commercial Vehicles advance its entry into mature markets such as Europe?

　　Zhao Aimin: In the past, trucks from Chinese automakers mostly entered markets with relatively low regulatory requirements, such as Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Now, entering developed markets such as Europe and North America, where technical standards and product requirements for vehicles are higher, we are also gradually strengthening our capabilities in this regard.

　　Taking the eDELIVER 75 all-electric light truck as an example, our development took 2 to 3 years, and we redeveloped the product according to European WVTA standards. After product review, we reorganized and adjusted a large number of issues, hoping to truly build it into a global product.

　　In terms of heavy trucks, we also hope to re-enter the high-end market and build up our brand and product capabilities through high-end products. According to the plan, the first all-electric European-standard heavy truck is undergoing WVTA certification and is scheduled to enter the European market at the end of this year.