Chinese electric truck manufacturer SuperPanther has commenced series production of its eTopas 600 battery-electric tractor unit at Steyr Automotive’s manufacturing facility in Austria, with the first vehicles now entering commercial service across Europe.
Steyr Automotive announced that the first production-specification 4×2 electric tractor unit rolled off the assembly line at its Upper Austria plant on 27 July. The company also delivered the first vehicles to customers including DHL, Gress, Temmel and Lontex, with the trucks entering operation in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland and the Czech Republic.
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Austrian Production Supports European Expansion
The eTopas 600 is assembled in Austria using a semi-knocked-down (SKD) production process, with pre-assembled modules supplied by SuperPanther integrated during final assembly at Steyr Automotive.
SuperPanther provides key components including the dual-motor electric axle, power electronics and thermal management system, while additional parts are sourced from European suppliers including ZF, Schaeffler, Aumovio, Infineon, Michelin, Continental, Goodyear and Castrol.
Steyr Automotive is responsible for final assembly, commissioning and quality assurance before vehicles are delivered to customers.
The electric tractor unit has a tare weight of 10.8 tonnes and a gross vehicle weight rating of 42 tonnes. Its dual-motor electric axle delivers a continuous output of 394 kilowatts and a peak output of 692 kilowatts.
Power is supplied by an 876-volt electrical system using a 621-kilowatt-hour lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery manufactured by CATL. According to SuperPanther, the battery is designed for up to 4,500 full charging cycles and an operating life of as much as 1.2 million kilometres or eight years.
Fast Charging and Service Network
The eTopas 600 is equipped with CCS2 charging ports on both sides of the vehicle, allowing simultaneous charging from two compatible charging stations.
SuperPanther said dual-gun charging tests achieved a peak charging rate of 646.7 kilowatts, with an average charging power of approximately 635 kilowatts.
Under typical European operating conditions and mixed payloads, the company estimates the truck can travel around 600 kilometres on a single charge without fully depleting the battery.
To support customers, SuperPanther has partnered with independent commercial vehicle service network Alltrucks, which will provide maintenance, repairs and a 24-hour roadside assistance service.
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The company is also establishing technician training programmes, spare parts logistics, remote diagnostics and over-the-air software update capabilities to support its expanding European operations.
Head of Europe Dr Michael Ruf said the company’s objective is to establish the eTopas 600 as a vehicle developed and manufactured for the European market.
“Our aim is to realise the eTopas 600 as a European series product: with local adaptations, validation and manufacturing processes on site.”
“We do not see Europe as a market that can simply be supplied – we see it as a system in which a vehicle has to function from a regulatory, industrial and operational perspective.”
