SuperPanther launches electric truck assembly via SKD in Europe
We first encountered SuperPanther at the IAA Transportation 2024 in Hanover. At the time, the brand was only two years old. Now, in its fourth year, SuperPanther is aiming to establish itself in Europe. To achieve this, the Chinese company is relying on contract manufacturing at Steyr Automotive in Austria. According to Frank Schulz, series production is set to begin this summer, with the first deliveries following shortly after. For 2026, the former Continental manager and his team are targeting 100 to 200 customer handovers.Schulz is well-acquainted with the industry. He spent many years as a sales specialist at Continental in the Commercial Vehicles division. In 2024, he initially consulted for SuperPanther before joining as Head of Sales for Europe last year. Interestingly, SuperPanther was founded in 2022 primarily by experts from Tsinghua University and former Continental managers. As a result, four current board members are former Continental employees, including CEO Liu Chao and Dr Michael Ruf, who led Continental’s commercial vehicle business until 2019 and now serves as SuperPanther’s President for Europe.BEV-only strategy leveraging CATL batteriesThe focus on Europe is unsurprising given the company’s personnel background. In China, SuperPanther is based in Xiamen and operates several sites, including production and R&D centres. Schulz reports that ‘several hundred battery-electric trucks’ are already on the roads in the People’s Republic. Europe is the startup’s first export market outside its home country. A key point, as Schulz emphasises: “We have no diesel history.” SuperPanther’s models are built on BEV-only platforms, offering all the advantages of this approach. The company is funded by investors, as pure electric startups do not benefit from revenue streams generated by diesel vehicle sales.The startup aims to break into the ranks of established manufacturers with a compelling electric truck and a parallel foothold as a supplier. “We have a strong, highly innovative development team,” Schulz states. From the e-axle to thermal management and the proprietary software layer, everything is developed in-house. SuperPanther plans to use these solutions not only for its own vehicles but also to offer them to third parties. The company has frequently communicated its goal of seeing ‘16,000 electric trucks with our powertrain on Europe’s roads by 2030.’ According to Schulz, this refers explicitly to trucks using SuperPanther’s platform technology—not just its own brand of electric trucks.Schulz is keen to correct the perception of Chinese manufacturers flooding the local market: “We have no intention of entering with rock-bottom prices. We want to convince with performance, added value, and TCO.” To achieve this, SuperPanther plans to offer comprehensive services to its European customers, including charging solutions—either directly or through partners. Repair and maintenance will be covered through a collaboration with the brand-independent provider Alltrucks.Debut with a 4×2 tractor unitAbove all, the eTopas 600 is set to impress—a battery-electric tractor unit designed specifically for Europe, as Schulz emphasises. This is not merely a derivative of a Chinese model. While SuperPanther has been selling an electric truck (named ‘Black Diamond’) in its home market for two years, this is a 6×4 tractor unit with a 414 kWh battery capacity. This model will not be brought to Europe. However, Schulz confirms that some components from the Black Diamond are also used in the construction of the eTopas 600, though he does not elaborate further.What is clear: The eTopas 600 is a 4×2 tractor unit with a gross battery capacity of 621 kWh. The battery technology is sourced from CATL and is largely identical to that used in the Daimler Trucks eActros 600 (which is also available with 621 kWh and, in the eActros 400 variant, with 414 kWh). However, there is one major difference: SuperPanther offers a so-called dual-gun charging solution. More on this below.First, the basic specifications: The 4×2 tractor unit measures 6.48 x 2.55 x 3.98 metres with a wheelbase of exactly four metres and is designed for a gross vehicle weight of 42 tonnes. Schulz highlights its lightweight construction, which results in a tare weight of 10.8 tonnes. Taking into account the weight of a standard trailer, this translates to a payload of approximately 24 tonnes—a strong value for a battery-electric truck.The LFP batteries, with their 621 kWh energy content, are conservatively rated to provide a range of 500 kilometres. Additionally, the eTopas 600 is based on an 876-volt architecture and offers a continuous power output of 394 kW and a peak power of 692 kW in its dual-motor configuration. The two electric motors are integrated into the aforementioned e-axle. It is also known that the eTopas 600, thanks to an in-house-developed heat pump, is designed to operate in ambient temperatures ranging from -30 to +40 degrees Celsius.
Image: SuperPanther
Image: SuperPanther
Image: SuperPanther
Image: SuperPantherDual-gun charging to enable nearly 660 kWThe model’s DC charging capacity is rated at 2x 330 kW—bringing us to the dual-gun charging solution. The SuperPanther electric truck features CCS-2 charging ports on both sides of the vehicle, enabling dual charging. “This is common practice in China,” Schulz explains. The charging power is nearly doubled to up to 660 kW, reducing the charging time to under 38 minutes for a 20 to 80 per cent battery charge. However, this requires that the charging stations support dual-gun charging on the software side. SuperPanther is currently in discussions with charging station manufacturers to enable this feature. Once the software adjustments are successfully implemented, the dual-charging capability will be available, Schulz confirms. AC charging is not supported in the eTopas 600, but the model will feature an MCS charging port. SuperPanther plans to provide further details at the upcoming IAA Transportation in September in Hanover.What else? The manufacturer promises an XL cab with a flat floor and sleeper compartment. Standard features include a 40-litre refrigerator and a 230V/AC power socket. SuperPanther aims to offer a fully equipped vehicle ex-works, with only a few optional extras available at an additional cost. One such option is a 22 kW ePTO (400V/AC).The eTopas 600 will roll off the production line at Steyr Automotive in Austria, playing a central role in the Chinese brand’s European debut. The electric truck version presented at the IAA a year and a half ago even featured the Austrian company’s logo prominently at the front, with the SuperPanther label positioned slightly off-centre. However, this will change in the series production model. The logos will swap positions, with the Chinese emblem adorning the front bonnet and the large “SuperPanther” lettering placed above the windscreen.SKD production with components from China and EuropeAt Steyr, the trucks are assembled from pre-assembled modules, a process known as SKD (Semi-Knocked Down) production. In addition to core components from China, well-known European suppliers such as ZF, Schaeffler, Continental, and Aumovio contribute parts. For Steyr Automotive, this contract provides a boost to its truck business. The eTopas 600 will be produced in the same hall where MAN trucks like the TGL and TGM were once manufactured. The facility was also slated to produce the battery-electric Volta Zero under contract, but the project never progressed beyond preparations after Volta Trucks went bankrupt.Until the eTopas 600 enters series production, both Steyr Automotive and SuperPanther’s European headquarters in Heimsheim near Stuttgart, Germany, have plenty to do. Sales activities at the German site are already underway, Schulz reports. Pre-series vehicles are currently being tested by numerous interested parties. DHL has already been named as a potential customer: the two companies signed a letter of intent for collaboration in 2024.
