On November 16, 2024, the results of the “2025 Chinese Truck of the Year (CTOY) Evaluation” hosted by Commercial Vehicle Magazine, were released. The SuperPanther Black Diamond Heavy Duty eTruck won the “2025 Truck Innovation Award (China)”. The award was presented to Liu Chao, Chairman and CEO of SuperPanther, by Gianenrico Griffini, Chairman of the International Truck of the Year (ITOY) Jury, and Yu Jing, Chairman of the Chinese Truck of the Year (CTOY) Jury.

As the exclusive representative of the ITOY Jury in China, Commercial Vehicle Magazine established the “Chinese Truck of the Year” evaluation in 2015, integrating the selection criteria and successful practices of the European ITOY. In 2023, the Chinese Truck of the Year Jury introduced the “Truck Innovation Award,” a new category launched by the ITOY in 2018. The “Truck Innovation Award (China)” honors a single vehicle each year that showcases innovative technologies and alternative power systems, representing future industry trends in the Chinese market. Only one truck model wins this award annually.

SuperPanther is an emerging player in the field of new energy heavy-duty trucks. Since its establishment in Liyang, Jiangsu, in March 2022, it has been committed to promoting the development of new energy heavy-duty trucks through technological innovation. Its founding team members have strong backgrounds, including elites from the Department of Automotive Engineering of Tsinghua University and senior experts from German Continental AG. This diverse expertise provides solid support for SuperPanther’s R & D  Innovation in the field of new energy heavy-duty trucks.

The award-winning Black Diamond Heavy Duty eTruck premiered globally on April 12, 2024. It is the first intelligent electric heavy-duty truck, particularly designed by SuperPanther for bulk transportation scenarios. In response to the pain points of traditional electric trucks, such as short endurance, heavyweight batteries, and halved endurance in winter, SuperPanther has independently developed a series of core technologies. These include a distributed electric drive axle system, an integrated heat management system, an 800V high-voltage system, and an intelligent chassis domain control system. These innovations have resulted in a 30% increase in range, a 40% improvement in charging efficiency compared to the market average, significantly enhanced low-temperature performance, improved climbing and overtaking capabilities, and increased durability and reliability. As a result, Black Diamond effectively solves the common issues of insufficient power and slow charging, unlocking bulk cargo transport for mountainous areas, long-distance routes, and extreme temperature conditions.

The SuperPanther Black Diamond boasts a continuous power output of up to 540 horsepower and a peak power of 1,175 horsepower, delivering robust climbing capabilities. Even when fully loaded at 49 tons, the Black Diamond can maintain a steady speed of 70 km/h on a 3% grade and 50 km/h on a 4% grade. Thanks to its self-developed core systems, the truck achieves an energy recovery efficiency of over 80%. In real-world testing conducted by users in mountainous bulk transport scenarios, the Black Diamond recorded an exceptionally low comprehensive energy consumption of just 55 kWh per 100 km for both empty and fully loaded conditions, demonstrating its outstanding efficiency and competitive edge.

The SuperPanther Black Diamond not only delivers low energy consumption and high performance but also places a significant emphasis on safety. By adopting a bottom-mounted battery design, the vehicle has lowered its center of mass by 377 mm. This change significantly improves the vehicle’s anti-rollover ability and driving stability. At the same time, the increased ground clearance of the battery box effectively minimizes the risk of collision. Moreover, the eTruck is equipped with CATL’s latest generation of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries for heavy-duty trucks. These batteries have reached a benchmark level in PACK safety, providing solid support for the vehicle’s stable operation. To further enhance battery safety, SuperPanther has incorporated a reinforced protective frame and guard plate around the battery. These features are designed to effectively shield against collisions and impacts from flying stone in harsh environments. Besides, they also provide effective thermal insulation for the battery.

In terms of intelligence, the vehicle also demonstrates excellent performance. It achieves precise control of power output through distributed electric drive axles and time-sharing control algorithms. This optimizes energy allocation and enhances the vehicle’s overall power performance and transmission efficiency. The application of chassis domain control and vehicle digitalization technology allows the Black Diamond to adapt and evolve continuously based on various driving scenarios, providing an open architecture ready for future autonomous driving systems.

Yu Jing, Chairman of Chinese Truck of the Year Jury, summarized the comments of the Jury as follows: “With full-stack in-house developed technology at its core, the SuperPanther Black Diamond Heavy Duty eTruck unlocks new energy transportation scenarios through leading technology. This offers a new choice for cost reduction and efficiency enhancement in the new energy heavy truck market.”