HANNOVER, Germany — Chinese electric-truck startup DeepWay, co-founded by Baidu and logistics technology company Lionbridge, is stepping up its European ambitions as competition intensifies in the continent’s electric heavy-truck market.
The company is exploring ways to license its electric-truck technology to European partners, potentially allowing local manufacturers or industry players to use DeepWay’s technology without the Chinese company having to build its own complete manufacturing footprint across the region.
DeepWay’s European push comes as Chinese truckmakers increasingly target Europe, where demand for lower-emission commercial vehicles is growing and manufacturers are racing to develop electric and increasingly automated heavy trucks.
DeepWay Makes European Debut
DeepWay showcased its trucks at IAA Transportation 2026 in Hannover, marking a major step in its European expansion.
The company presented electric heavy-truck models and said it plans to introduce a DeepWay 3.0 version tailored for the European market in 2027.
The European version is expected to pursue regulatory certification including EU Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA), a key requirement for commercial vehicle sales across the European market.
European transport-industry coverage has noted that DeepWay displayed both 4×2 and 6×4 electric tractor configurations at IAA. The trucks use lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, with reported capacities of 513 kWh for the 4×2 and 600 kWh for the 6×4 versions.
From Selling Trucks to Licensing Technology
The licensing strategy could prove especially important for DeepWay.
Instead of relying exclusively on exporting finished trucks from China, technology licensing could give the company another route into Europe by allowing partners to incorporate its electric powertrain, vehicle architecture or other technologies into locally produced vehicles.
That approach could also become increasingly relevant as Europe considers rules designed to increase local content in electric vehicles.
Reuters reported this week that Chinese automakers are already looking for European factories and local manufacturing arrangements ahead of expected EU local-content requirements for EVs.
For DeepWay, licensing could therefore provide a way to expand its technology footprint while reducing the need to establish a fully integrated European manufacturing operation immediately.
DeepWay Is Not Starting From Scratch
The company has already accumulated experience producing electric heavy trucks in China.
DeepWay says it delivered more than 8,020 DeepWay Star trucks in 2025, while more than 6,000 vehicles had been delivered with its L2-level advanced driver-assistance system.
The company describes itself as an intelligent new-energy heavy-truck manufacturer, with its vehicles designed around electrification and intelligent-driving technology from the beginning rather than simply converting conventional diesel trucks to electric power.
DeepWay was established in 2020 through a partnership between Baidu and Lionbridge, with the companies targeting autonomous and electric freight transportation.
Europe Is Becoming a Major Battleground for Chinese Electric Trucks
DeepWay is entering Europe at a time when several Chinese manufacturers are accelerating their commercial-vehicle strategies.
BYD, for example, has announced plans to introduce its first heavy-duty truck in Europe in 2027 and eventually manufacture trucks locally. The company has said European production would help it build a long-term local presence while avoiding some of the challenges associated with importing vehicles.
Meanwhile, Pony.ai recently unveiled a Level 4 autonomous electric heavy truck at IAA Transportation and said it was discussing potential testing opportunities with European governments and ports. The company plans to expand its robotruck business into Europe and the Middle East over the next two years.
That means DeepWay is competing not only with established European truckmakers but also with a growing group of Chinese technology companies seeking a foothold in the continent.
The Technology Race Goes Beyond Electric Motors
The European heavy-truck transition is increasingly becoming a competition over the entire vehicle platform.
Electric powertrains, battery systems, charging infrastructure, energy management, advanced driver assistance and autonomous-driving capabilities are all becoming part of the industry’s development race.
DeepWay says its vehicles incorporate technologies including a high-voltage silicon-carbide electric-drive system, thermal-management optimization, regenerative braking and predictive cruise control. The company claims its intelligent energy-management technology can reduce energy consumption, although those figures are company-reported rather than independent performance assessments.
Regulation Could Determine How Fast DeepWay Expands
One of the biggest hurdles is not simply whether European customers want electric trucks. Regulatory approval and local operating requirements will determine where and when these vehicles can actually be sold or tested.
European countries have different levels of readiness for advanced automated-driving systems, while vehicle type approval and technical requirements remain critical for commercial deployment.
Recent developments underline the regulatory challenge. Germany has only recently authorized the regular public-road operation of a cab-less Level 4 autonomous truck in cooperation with Lidl and Einride, highlighting how tightly controlled advanced autonomous-truck deployment remains.
DeepWay’s immediate European strategy therefore appears focused on adapting its vehicles and technology to European requirements before attempting broader commercialization.
A Bigger Global Expansion Is Already Underway
Europe is only one part of DeepWay’s international strategy.
The company has described its ambition as expanding its new-energy truck technology globally, and it has already established overseas commercial operations.
DeepWay is also preparing to begin commercial operations in Brazil, with local reporting saying the company plans to initially import vehicles before potentially moving toward SKD assembly and later CKD production in the country.
The expansion illustrates how Chinese electric-truck companies are increasingly looking beyond their domestic market as electrification reshapes freight transportation.
For DeepWay, the European opportunity could ultimately extend beyond selling its own trucks: licensing its technology to local partners could turn the company’s electric-truck platform into a broader global business.
