The electrification of commercial vehicles has been slower than other vehicle market segments. A range of factors, from limited charging infrastructure and slow recharging times to high upfront costs and limited range, have discouraged the majority of carriers from taking the plunge. The heavy-duty segment lags furthest behind, with electric vehicles (EVs) accounting for just 1% of all new truck sales.
Amid rising competition from other alternatives to diesel, including hydrogen and liquefied natural gas, battery makers must work to ensure their solutions provide the best value of all low-carbon options. In September 2024, Chinese battery maker Rept Battero introduced its new Big Bank battery system, intended to facilitate electrification of the commercial vehicle segment. Targeting the European market, Big Bank offers flexible combinations of individual packs to accommodate the electrification of all vehicle types affordably. But what makes this solution particularly well suited to addressing the challenges of decarbonising commercial road transport?
Density and range
“We are very confident in the electrification of commercial vehicles,” remarks Kang Du, Commercial Vehicle Business Director at Rept Battero. “But we recognise that Europe is not progressing as quickly as China. We developed the Big Bank to help accelerate that transition.”
In terms of raw power, the Big Bank system sits at the higher end of lithium-ion battery technology: with an energy density of 210 Wh/kg, each individual pack provides 50 kWh of power. An individual pack is boxy and rectangular in shape, with a large heat sink occupying the mid-section. These packs can be combined or ‘stacked’ together to create a battery system that maxes out at 500 kWh, enabling a range of 600km in a heavy-duty truck.
Rept Battero has directed particular attention to maximising the utilisation of space inside its packs to ensure maximum energy storage. In 2022, the company introduced the Wending battery, which uses a proprietary approach to increase space utilisation by more than 7%. This technology has been carried forward into the Big Bank system and is ready to meet larger scale demand. “We’ve heavily invested in automation and precision on our production lines,” Du tells Automotive World.
At the same time, the company has worked to ensure that its battery system can be charged quickly and efficiently, regardless of configuration. It has enabled 2C fast charging, allowing the flagship 500 kWh configuration to recharge from 10% to 80% in approximately 18 minutes. A useful life of more than 5,000 charge cycles and an estimated service life exceeding ten years could help assure fleet operators as they weigh the merits of purchasing an e-truck.
Modularity and affordability
While other battery makers may be able to compete with the Big Bank system on range and charging speed, its main point of differentiation is flexibility. The modular approach to battery pack assembly allows for larger battery systems to be assembled quickly and efficiently from smaller individual packs. This helps drive value that can be passed onto Rept Battero’s customers through cost savings at no compromise to performance.
“Ultimately, the Big Bank is just a collection of single packs. It’s what you can accomplish by combining them that makes it compelling,” says Du. “Depending on the configuration, you can meet the different energy requirements of a range of commercial transport needs.” In this sense, the system is compatible with trucks of all sizes, as well as smaller commercial transport vehicles like vans. The ability to purchase different configurations at scale will, in turn, also make it easier for truck makers to lower their sticker prices.
Du acknowledges that pure battery electric may not be the only path forward for commercialising the road transport sector. “It’s clear that multiple technology pathways exist. However, we remain committed to the electric fleet.” Meanwhile, Rept Battero offers an alternative ‘sister’ solution to the Big Bank system for plug-in hybrid trucks: the Green Bank. Substantially smaller and flatter than its pure-electric counterpart, the Green Bank system allows a 10-55 kWh power range, depending on configuration.
While the carbon saved won’t be as substantial as pure battery electric, Rept Battero still claims Green Bank can reduce fuel consumption by more than 35%. This could make it a compelling solution for those interested in electrification but wary of limited charging infrastructure and e-trucks’ higher sticker price. Both the Green Bank and Big Bank systems are capable of cold starting in temperatures as low as minus 35 degrees Celsius.
Leveraging the trade environment
Both Big Bank and Green Bank benefit from strong vertical integration through Rept Battero’s parent company, Tsingshan Group. This offers a significant advantage over other battery manufacturers: “To be frank, we own the mining resources—our competition has to buy them.” In addition to investments in lithium mines in Zimbabwe, the company controls nickel and cobalt. This helps make Big Bank more affordable than alternative solutions while still commanding strong margins.
To be frank, we own the mining resources—our competition has to buy them
Looking ahead, Rept Battero faces potential challenges due to the ongoing trade war between the EU and China. Currently, the EU imposes duties of 10% on all EV batteries imported into the bloc. While this is lower than the US (25%), trade tensions between the two regions concerning EV imports could eventually reach batteries. Some groups in the EU are advocating for tariffs: Transport & Environment recommends a tariff hike on Chinese battery to 20% by 2027 to incentivise onshoring. At the time of writing, most Western automakers rely on China for batteries.
Du acknowledges the challenging nature of establishing international business amid regulatory headwinds, and Rept Battero maintains an open mind about onshoring in Europe. In his view, a bigger obstacle to commercial fleet electrification is the removal of subsidies on e-truck purchases in Germany and Sweden, which he believes has slowed the EV transition. “This means growth will be more steady, but there is still a huge market waiting. This will still provide great growth opportunities for companies like ours.”
Rept Battero’s strategy could already be bearing fruit, as its modular approach that focuses on range and affordability is garnering attention from major truck makers. “They’re very interested in the Big Bank system. We’re still sharing data and information, but we think there is a bright future here for this technology,” concludes Du.
