SANY Group has announced that its fourth-generation autonomous heavy-duty truck, co-developed with Pony.ai, is nearing mass-production readiness, with the first fleet scheduled for commercial operation this year.
The electric heavy-duty model is equipped with a battery pack exceeding 400 kWh. According to SANY, each unit is projected to reduce annual carbon emissions by approximately 60 tons, targeting the logistics industry’s shift toward low-carbon operations.
For the construction and heavy transport sectors, reliability remains a primary concern. The new truck utilises SANY’s fully redundant drive-by-wire chassis, which provides fail-safes across six critical systems, steering, braking, communication, power supply, computing and sensing.
The vehicle has completed electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) and extreme-temperature testing to ensure performance in harsh industrial environments.
To optimise operational efficiency, the partners introduced a “1+4” autonomous platooning solution. The system allows one manned lead truck to guide four unmanned vehicles.
Pilot estimations suggest the solution can: reduce freight costs by 29 per cent per km, increase operating profit by 195 per cent and optimise smart-port operations through high-frequency, replicable logistics cycles.
Zhou Wanchun, Vice President of SANY Group and General Manager of SANY Heavy Truck Marketing, remarks: “Mass production of the fourth-generation autonomous truck marks another milestone in SANY’s digitalisation and decarbonisation strategy. Our industry-leading fully redundant drive-by-wire chassis provides a reliable hardware foundation for autonomous driving. Through deep collaboration with Pony.ai, we are accelerating the scaled adoption of intelligent logistics equipment and delivering unprecedented gains in operational efficiency.”
Since 2022, SANY and Pony.ai have collaborated to integrate 5G, autonomous driving, and electrification. Working alongside logistics firm Sinotrans, the partners have developed a “Vehicle + Technology + Scenario” model to ensure the trucks meet the demands of real-world commercial deployment.
SANY says the transition to mass production is intended to move the industry beyond limited pilot tests toward large-scale commercial deployment. The partners expect the integration of autonomous technology and electric powertrains to accelerate the decarbonisation of the global logistics sector.