China’s first cross-province and cross-border battery swapping corridor for new energy heavy-duty trucks was recently launched by Yunnan Communications Investment & Construction Group Co., Ltd. And Contemporary Amperex Technology Co., Limited (CATL).
The new corridor, stretching over 900 kilometers from Panzhihua in Sichuan Province to Mohan (Guanlei) in Yunnan, was inaugurated along with the mass delivery of new energy trucks. The initiative lays a solid foundation for a low-carbon, cross-regional logistics system.
China’s first cross-province and cross-border battery swapping corridor was inaugurated along with the mass delivery of new energy trucks. [Photo/sasac.gov.cn]
This innovative corridor integrates transportation, logistics, and energy infrastructure. It features ultra-fast battery swapping within 3 to 5 minutes at the Yuanmou swapping station, cutting transportation costs by over 20 percent and boosting operational efficiency by 30 percent compared to traditional diesel trucks.
The project establishes a unified battery swapping standard for truck chassis in collaboration with CATL, enabling multi-brand compatibility at a single station. It also connects with multiple enterprises in Yunnan to build a green logistics network for transporting minerals, coking coal, coke, sand, steel, and cement.
In terms of green energy integration, the project leverages photovoltaic resources along expressways and builds an integrated system of solar power, energy storage, and battery swapping stations. It is expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 32,000 tons annually. The model draws on experience from the low-carbon Ruili–Nongdao transport line, which has already handled 1.17 million tons of freight and reduced costs by 5.148 million yuan. That line is now being promoted across Yunnan’s expressway network, with total green freight volume projected to exceed 10 million tons this year.
The corridor is scheduled for full operation by the end of 2025. In addition, development of the Guanlei Port logistics park is underway to support bulk commodity exports to Southeast Asia through the “battery swapping corridor + cross-border land transport” model, helping Yunnan build itself into a gateway hub to South and Southeast Asia.
(Executive editor: Yuan Ting)
