Chinese truck operators weighing a switch to battery-electric light trucks often worry that highway speeds will drain the battery far faster than the official figure suggests. According to PCauto, a test of JAC's flagship electric light truck, the Kunpeng ET9, suggests the gap can be narrower than expected.
In a cross-city run in southern China, the ET9 carried 1.5 tonnes of cargo, with more than 90% of the route on highways at an average speed of 85 km/h. After covering 310.9 km, the truck still had 39% of its battery charge left, and it averaged 3.7 km per kilowatt-hour. JAC says the same battery capacity would stretch more than 100 km further than a conventional boxy truck body because of the ET9's wedge-shaped cab, which cuts the drag coefficient to 0.33 Cd, about 30% lower than typical rivals.
Fast charging and climbing power
For operators worried about downtime, the ET9 supports dual-gun 2C fast charging, taking the battery from 20% to 80% in about 18 minutes. That means a midday meal break can top up the pack, saving more than an hour of daily operating time, PCauto notes. The truck uses a liquid-cooled flat-wire oil-cooled motor that delivers 180 kW of peak power and 400 N·m of torque, which JAC says keeps it capable on mountain grades even when fully loaded, without thermal derating on long climbs.
JAC also claims a system peak efficiency above 99.5% from the integrated seven-in-one controller, and a multi-source heat pump that manages the air conditioning, battery, motor and cabin thermal loads. The heat pump is said to use more than 40% less energy than a traditional PTC heater, addressing the common electric-truck complaint that heating in winter cuts range sharply.
Cost math and warranty
PCauto's cost comparison suggests the ET9 can save more than 20,000 yuan (about $2,800) per year in energy and maintenance costs versus a comparable 4.2-metre electric truck, and more than 65,000 yuan (about $9,200) per year versus a 120,000-yuan petrol light truck, meaning the electric model could pay back its price premium in about two years. The ET9 has undergone 1 million km of validation testing at a gross vehicle weight of 9 tonnes, and its three-electric system (battery, motor, controller) is available with an optional warranty of 8 years or 800,000 km. JAC says more than 1,600 service points across China support the truck.
The ET9 sits at the top of JAC's electric light-truck range, complementing the fuel-powered Shuailing, Junling and Kangling lines. For operators running intercity routes, produce deliveries or cold-chain logistics, the test results give a concrete answer to the question of whether an electric light truck can handle the full range of duties.
