In the European new-energy commercial vehicle sector, BYD has become an innovation force that cannot be ignored. In 2013, the BYD K9 pure electric bus became the world's first electric bus to pass full EU vehicle type approval, marking the start of its journey into the European market. As of June 2026, BYD has deployed more than 7,000 pure electric buses across Europe. From breaking the ice through certification, to gradually building trust in demonstration operations, to turning "selling in" into "building here" through local factories, BYD Commercial Vehicles' evolution in Europe offers a new template for the overseas development of Chinese commercial vehicles.
Beyond pure electric buses, BYD is also committed to bringing pure electric vans and heavy trucks to the European market. At IAA Transportation — the world's largest commercial vehicle trade fair, held this September (referred to below as the Hanover show) — BYD not only showcased the ETT44 pure electric tractor built for European long-haul trunk road freight, but also brought the T35 pure electric light truck designed for European urban operations.
The T35 pure electric light truck is no stranger to domestic users: its counterpart is the domestic T4 pure electric light truck. Built to passenger-car-level standards, the T4 is sold not only in China but also in developed markets such as Japan and Singapore, where it has won user favor. The T35 on display at the Hanover show is mainly tasked with gathering market feedback and understanding customer needs.
The BYD T35 pure electric light truck is built to passenger-car-level standards, something visible at first glance. The cab-over design features an extremely large windshield, giving the driver a much wider field of vision. The lower body uses generous clean surfaces accented with silver trim, adding a further touch of refinement.
The headlights use a combined design with LED light sources inside, delivering excellent illumination while also improving service life
Two silver trim strips echo the daytime running lights and turn signals inside the headlights, reinforcing design continuity and enhancing the body's premium feel
The mirrors are mounted on the doors, positioned similarly to passenger cars, giving drivers a familiar control experience without the need for complex additional training or adaptation
The T35 adopts BYD's proud dedicated pure electric platform, built around CTC cell-to-chassis technology. As the name implies, this technology makes the battery and the body structure "one integrated unit" — the two work with and reinforce each other: on one hand, the battery receives more thorough structural protection; on the other, the frame's torsional rigidity is enhanced, delivering higher driving stability and a more solid ride.
The significance of CTC goes beyond simply "putting the battery into the chassis": it transforms the battery from a pure energy carrier into part of the vehicle's structure. Through deep integration of the battery and chassis skeleton, the vehicle can reduce redundant structures, improve space utilization, and achieve more rational weight distribution and center-of-gravity placement. For a light truck, which must balance load capacity with everyday driving needs, this structural integration not only strengthens body torsional resistance, but also provides better battery protection in collisions and complex road conditions, while making the chassis more compact — leaving more room for cargo space, passenger space and range packaging. In other words, CTC brings not just better battery protection and driving stability, but a simultaneous optimization of structural efficiency, safety margin and user experience.
As for detailed parameters such as battery capacity, BYD did not disclose them for the T35 at the show, so this article uses the domestic T4's data as a reference. The vehicle is equipped with BYD's Blade Battery, which balances energy density with safety. The 62.3 kWh battery corresponds to a CLTC pure electric range of 330 km, covering the daily needs of high-frequency scenarios such as urban delivery and short-haul logistics while reducing the time cost of frequent recharging.
On the motor side, the vehicle uses a 150 kW flat-wire motor, with powertrain parameters at a high level in its class and a peak torque of 340 N·m, able to handle full-load climbing; the flat-wire motor's advantages in power density and efficiency also help balance power output and energy consumption within a limited battery capacity. In addition, the BYD T4 also features BYD's pioneering Lingxi brake-by-wire technology, achieving millisecond-level response and improving braking safety.
This powertrain and safety package is not a simple pile-up of parameters, but is built around the real needs of a light truck: "high-frequency operation, climbing with cargo, city driving". The Blade Battery, based on structural safety and high energy density, guarantees range while improving battery reliability under complex conditions; the 150 kW flat-wire motor with 340 N·m peak torque ensures power reserves for full-load starts and slope driving, keeping the vehicle composed even under heavy loads; and the Lingxi brake-by-wire system shortens braking response time to milliseconds, further improving braking safety and driver confidence in congested urban traffic with frequent stops and starts and sudden situations. Together, these three elements give the T4 a more complete value loop across range, power and safety.
Inside, the BYD T35 continues the refined, passenger-car-style design language. The steering wheel adopts a multifunction three-spoke design with a flattened bottom for easier driver entry, and recessed grips at the natural hand positions for better control. The wheel is also wrapped, adding a refined texture.
The instrument panel uses a floating all-digital LCD design, with a carbon-fiber-pattern trim panel on top of the dashboard adding a sporty touch
The floating central touchscreen lets occupants quickly control vehicle functions
The comfortable fabric seats resist dirt and are easy to maintain, with good breathability for a superior experience on long journeys
From the pure electric bus breaking into Europe through certification, to pure electric heavy trucks, vans and light trucks gradually joining the product matrix, BYD Commercial Vehicles' path in Europe is not a single-model trial, but a scenario-driven expansion from public transport to city logistics, from trunk transport to last-mile delivery. The significance of the T35 lies precisely in filling the high-frequency, end-user-facing segment of urban operations and short-haul logistics, making BYD's European product layout more complete and bringing technology validation and customer feedback closer to real operating scenarios.
Looking further, this is the logic of going global that moves from "selling products" to "planting a system": covering scenarios with a product matrix, building trust through local operations, and feeding iterations with market feedback. For Chinese commercial vehicles, this exploration from point breakthroughs to system synergy also offers a more valuable reference for competing in global green logistics.
原创文章，作者：ctinsa，如若转载，请注明出处：https://ctinsa.com/ccnes/9820
