On 29 November 2022, VP of Foton Motor Group, Wang Shuhai and the Chairman and CEO of Piaggio & C. S.p.A. (PIA.MI), Roberto Colaninno, signed a preliminary agreement in Mantua, Italy for the development of a new range of four-wheel electric light commercial vehicles. The agreement consolidates the partnership set up by the two groups in September 2017 for joint development of innovative solutions for the light commercial vehicles market.
Over the coming months, a team of representatives from the two groups will work on the development and approval of a production and commercial plan and on the contractual documents with a view – in the event of a successful outcome of the above activities – to finalizing the technical documentation for the project and the contracts by Spring 2023.
As FOTON’s important partner, the Piaggio Group (PIA.MI) is Europe's largest scooter and motorcycle manufacturer. In order to achieve an upgrade in the European commercial vehicle market, Piaggio Group expanded its light commercial vehicle business by partnering with FOTON, which it believes to have rich industry experience, strong comprehensive strength and rapid growth in the past few years. This new agreement will consolidate the partnership established by the two groups in May 2018 to develop and produce new light commercial vehicle products for the European market, based on FOTON's mini-truck product platform.
After more than two years of joint development, Piaggio Group and FOTON launched their new Porter NP6, the first city truck for European market, on January 26, 2021. Fully in compliance with the truck manufacturing standards in Europe, the new Porter NP6 is able to offer a safer, more reliable and more comfortable driving experience than its rivals. Thanks to a high popularity, its cumulative sales to date have amounted to 15,000 units. The hot sale of this product in the European market shows that the cooperation between FOTON and Piaggio is very fruitful and marks the breakthrough that FOTON has achieved in outputting technology to Europe, as well as highlights FOTON’s technological advancement and leading position in the field of commercial vehicles.
Just this November at the Green Logistics Expo 2022 in Padua, Italy, FOTON brought the all-electric trucks developed for the European market, showing its signs of entering the European new energy market.
Back in June of this year, FOTON has already started to emerge in Europe. On June 3, FOTON Motor debuted two pure electric trucks specifically developed for the European market at the IFAT exhibition in Munich, Germany. Since then, FOTON has kicked off its entry into the European new energy market. This also shows that Chinese commercial vehicle brands are marching into the high-end market and accelerating their pace to the center of the world stage.
All of these moves can’t be made without the support of FOTON’s new energy technology. As we all know, the sales of combustion engine vehicles will be banned in the EU from 2035 onward in accordance with the relevant resolutions of the European Commission. This means that the European new energy vehicle market is shifting into the fast lane. Although Europe has more stringent access standards, FOTON has already met its standards for new energy technology, product quality and supply chain. As an access card to the European market, WVTA certification focuses on environmental, safety and security standards. It is internationally recognized as one of the most valuable certification systems in the world and accepted throughout the EU without the need for further testing. A range of FOTON's new energy products, including pure electric trucks, VANs and buses, have received WVTA certification and have been put into operation in countries like Australia, New Zealand and Singapore.
In addition to the cooperation with Piaggio Group, FOTON is also gradually improving its operation, sales and service network in Europe. In the coming years, FOTON will strive to achieve breakthroughs in European markets such as Italy, Poland and Germany, and gradually seize the European new energy market by building up an industrial chain in the high-end market with the help of its new energy technology.
FOTON, the No. 1 Chinese commercial vehicle manufacturer, will continue to focus on high-quality development. With technological innovation, high quality, advanced technology and quality service, FOTON will continue to expand its global presence and share its technology to make the world love “Made in China”.
