CATL's A+B Battery-Swap Model: What It Means for Used Electric Truck Values

On October 20, CATL held its "Winning 2027" heavy-truck launch in Beijing and rolled out Tianxing II "electric-electric range extension" - a battery-swapping architecture that splits the swap pack in two: a leased base battery and a truck-owned range battery. It went to mass production at launch with 13,000 trucks signed in the first batch, by operators including China Post, SF Express, STO and YTO (reported, manufacturer statements via multiple media). For anyone watching the used electric truck market - which we flagged as a new export wave in the October data report - this is the most consequential product news of the quarter. Here is why.

The market context: electrification crossed 50%

The event cited industry data showing new-energy heavy truck penetration climbing from 5.2% in 2022 to 28.9% in 2025 and 50.28% in September 2026 alone (reported). Over 430,000 electric heavy trucks on China's roads carry CATL batteries - more than 70% of the industry (reported). The first big cohort of those trucks will reach the replacement cycle and start flowing into used export stock, just as the record new-truck flows we covered in the September export data shape today's used diesel supply. Buyers who understand how these electric trucks are financed will read their battery paperwork correctly.

How the A+B architecture works

Under the new model, the bottom-mounted swappable pack (A) is owned by a battery bank and leased, with billing, start and stop tied to the truck's operating days, seasonal demand and resale timing; the rear range-extension pack (B) is purchased and stays with the truck through resale (reported). CATL also launched four charging products - the industry's lightest rear pack per kWh, its thinnest, a short-wheelbase bottom-mounted pack and a long-range version - and a swap-station buildout plan: 900 stations by end-2026, 2,000 by 2027 and 10,000 long-term, with 5-minute swaps on the Qiji 3.0 station (all reported, manufacturer statements).

What it changes for used truck values

• Residual value gets a readable structure. The hardest part of pricing a used electric truck has been the "empty truck plus unknown battery decay" black box described in the used EV truck buyer guide. With B packs truck-owned and A packs on transparent leases, a buyer can price the owned asset, verify its health separately, and read lease terms instead of guessing.
• The manufacturer claims a residual premium. CATL says trucks carrying its batteries already resell about 10% above the industry average, and positions A+B to pull electric residual rates toward diesel norms (reported - a manufacturer claim; treat it as marketing until independent resale data confirms it).
• Deep-discharge history will matter. With the B pack as buffer, swap trucks can discharge the A pack to below 5% instead of the traditional ~30% return-to-depot level (reported). Deeper cycles do more work per cycle, so cycle counts and SOH reports deserve extra scrutiny - the full evidence chain in the battery due-diligence guide.
• Swap infrastructure defines where these trucks are usable. The first 900 stations concentrate on domestic trunk routes. A swap-dependent tractor imported into a market without stations is a problem; trucks with an onboard B pack are far more portable across borders.
• 430,000 units is tomorrow's parts and used supply. Installed-base scale is what made diesel parts ecosystems work (the global trade review); the same logic will apply to packs, modules and technicians.

A buyer's checklist for swap-architecture trucks

When you evaluate a used electric tractor with a swappable A pack: first, establish ownership and lease status - is the base pack leased, who holds the contract, is there arrears that block transfer, and can the lease be assumed in your country? Second, inspect the B pack separately: VIN-bound SOH report, physical pack inspection, on-site charge test - the full four-step chain from the battery due-diligence guide. Third, confirm warranty transfer terms in writing before milestone payments, per the warranty and after-sales guide, and structure payments safely under the payment guide or the financing options. Fourth, benchmark the price against what you actually own - truck plus B pack - not against diesel equivalents, using current FOB baselines.

Battery-as-a-service is no longer niche: 13,000 signed units on day one make it a mainstream configuration. The resale market for electric heavy trucks will organize around exactly this structure - owned packs you can test, leases you can read, and infrastructure you can map. We will keep tracking how it reshapes used EV truck pricing as the first leased fleets reach resale.