Views: 0 Author: Site Editor Publish Time: 2026-10-26 Origin: Site
In early October 2026, global logistics group DSV announced a partnership with Saudi charging network operator EVIQ and vehicle partner Hala Auto to move part of its Riyadh delivery operation onto electric vehicles, backed by dedicated depot charging. It is one deal in one city, but it reflects a pattern now visible across the Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America: electric delivery fleets are no longer a pilot project reserved for Europe. Large operators are electrifying, and the distributors who supply them are being asked a new question by their customers — not "should we go electric?" but "how do we actually do it?"
This guide answers that question in practical terms. Whether you are a vehicle distributor building an EV offer for local logistics customers, or a fleet operator planning your own first electric vans and trucks, the same five decisions determine whether an electric fleet saves money or creates problems.
Three things have changed in the last two years.
First, battery costs. LFP (lithium iron phosphate) battery packs — the chemistry used in most Chinese electric commercial vehicles — have fallen sharply in price, which has narrowed the purchase-price gap between electric and diesel light commercial vehicles.
Second, the supply side has matured. China's EV export license rules, in force since January 1, 2026, now require battery electric vehicles to be exported by manufacturers or their authorized partners. For fleet buyers, this means clearer vehicle provenance, documented warranty, and a real after-sales relationship with the factory. (We covered this in detail in our buyer's guide to China's EV export license rules.)
Third, charging infrastructure is arriving in markets where it barely existed. Partnerships like DSV–EVIQ in Saudi Arabia show that charging operators are now building for commercial fleets, not just private cars.
None of this removes the need for planning. A poorly designed electric fleet — wrong vehicle size, inadequate charging, no spare parts — will underperform diesel. A well-designed one will beat it on cost per kilometre within a few years.
The most common mistake in a first electric fleet is buying vehicles based on brochure range rather than actual route data. Before choosing models, collect at least two to four weeks of real route information: daily kilometres per vehicle, typical payload, number of stops, and how long the vehicle sits at the depot overnight.
Most last-mile and regional delivery work falls into two classes.
Urban last-mile delivery (1-ton class). Parcel delivery, e-commerce, food and beverage distribution in city centres, municipal services. Daily routes are typically 80–200 km with frequent stops. A vehicle like the KAMA EW1 electric mini truck — 1,000 kg payload, 24.01 kWh GOTION LFP battery, 70 kW INOVANCE motor and a rated range of 180–430 km depending on configuration and load — covers this duty cycle with overnight charging only. Stop-start city driving also favours electric drivetrains: regenerative braking recovers energy, and there is no idling fuel cost at each drop.
Regional distribution (3-ton class). Wholesale distribution, supply runs between warehouses and stores, construction materials, beverage and FMCG routes. Daily routes are longer and payloads heavier. The KAMA EM32 electric light truck, with a 100 kWh CATL LFP battery, is designed for this work. For routes that regularly exceed a single charge, plan for a mid-day DC top-up (see Decision 2).
A practical rule: choose a vehicle whose real-world range is at least 30% above your longest regular daily route. That margin covers air conditioning in hot climates, heavier-than-usual loads, traffic and battery ageing over the vehicle's life.
Body type matters too. Box, dry-van, refrigerated, tipper and flatbed bodies all change weight and energy use. Our guide to electric truck body types explains which upper bodies suit which applications.
Charging is where most first-time fleets run into trouble — not because the technology is complicated, but because it is planned too late. Vehicles can arrive in six to ten weeks; a depot electrical upgrade can take longer.
Overnight AC charging (7–11 kW per bay). For single-shift fleets that return to the depot every evening, this is usually all that is needed. A 1-ton vehicle with a 24 kWh battery can be fully recharged overnight on a modest AC charger. AC chargers are inexpensive and put less strain on the depot's electrical supply.
DC fast charging (roughly 40–87 kW). Needed for double-shift operations, longer regional routes, or a mid-day top-up during the driver's break. One or two DC chargers can support several vehicles if charging is scheduled.
Check grid capacity first. Ask your electricity supplier what capacity the depot connection can carry. Staggered or managed charging — vehicles charging in sequence through the night rather than all at once — often avoids an expensive grid upgrade.
Solar plus battery storage for unstable grids. In markets where grid power is unreliable or expensive during the day, a depot solar array with stationary storage can supply a meaningful share of charging energy and protect operations against outages.
Confirm the charging standard. KAMA electric commercial vehicles use the GB/T charging standard as default, with CCS2 available as a factory option. Specify the standard that matches the public and depot chargers in your market at the time of order — changing it afterwards is costly.
Electric commercial vehicles cost more to buy and less to run. Whether the trade-off works depends on your local electricity price, fuel price and daily distance — so run the numbers with your own figures, not a generic claim.
A simple per-kilometre comparison illustrates the method. The figures below are indicative ranges; replace them with local prices.
| Cost item | Electric light commercial vehicle | Diesel equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Energy / fuel cost per km | approx. $0.02–0.04 (at typical commercial electricity tariffs) | approx. $0.11–0.20 (depending on diesel price and consumption) |
| Routine maintenance | lower — no oil changes, fewer moving parts, less brake wear | baseline |
| Purchase price | typically 20–40% higher | baseline |
| Battery | LFP chemistry; KAMA EW1 warranty 5 years / 200,000 km | — |
How to use it. Multiply the per-kilometre saving by your annual kilometres per vehicle. A vehicle covering 150 km a day, 300 days a year, travels 45,000 km annually. Even a saving of $0.08 per km is $3,600 per vehicle per year in energy alone, before maintenance savings. Divide the purchase-price premium by the annual saving to estimate payback. For high-mileage delivery fleets, payback commonly falls in the range of two to four years.
What to include that is often missed: charger purchase and installation, any depot electrical upgrade, driver training, insurance differences, and residual value. What often works in your favour: lower maintenance, reduced downtime from engine-related faults, and in some markets access to city zones, incentives or customer contracts that require low-emission delivery.
Do not electrify a whole fleet in one order. A structured pilot reduces risk and gives you real data to show customers, management or financiers.
Select two to five vehicles and assign them to routes that represent your typical operation — not your easiest routes.
Run for 60–90 days. Track daily kilometres, energy used per kilometre, charging time, payload, driver feedback and any faults.
Compare against diesel vehicles on similar routes over the same period.
Adjust before scaling. The pilot will show whether you need a different battery size, more DC charging, or a different body configuration.
Scale in phases — for example, replacing diesel vehicles as they reach end of life or end of lease.
For distributors, a pilot fleet doubles as a demonstration programme: local customers can see vehicles working on familiar roads, which is far more convincing than a brochure.
An electric vehicle that is off the road waiting for a part costs more than the fuel it saved. Before signing, confirm:
Spare parts availability. Which parts will be held locally, and what is the lead time for the rest? A sensible initial parts package for a pilot fleet is typically ordered with the vehicles.
Technician training. High-voltage systems need trained technicians. Ask the manufacturer what training is provided for the distributor's workshop staff.
Driver training. Electric driving technique — using regenerative braking, managing range in heat — measurably affects energy consumption.
Remote diagnostics and technical support. Ask how the factory supports troubleshooting in your time zone and language.
Warranty terms in writing — vehicle, battery, motor and controller — with clear claim procedures.
This is where buying directly from the manufacturer matters. Under China's 2026 export rules, a factory-direct supplier carries responsibility for after-sales support; an unauthorized reseller often cannot.
The DSV announcement in Saudi Arabia is useful because it combines the three elements every successful fleet needs: an operator with defined routes, a charging partner building depot infrastructure, and a vehicle partner. Distributors in other markets can replicate this structure on a smaller scale — partnering with a local charging installer or utility, and bringing a ready-made package (vehicles, chargers, parts, training) to logistics customers.
Hot-climate markets in the Gulf, North Africa and Southeast Asia raise specific questions about battery performance at high temperatures. LFP chemistry is more thermally stable than many alternatives, which is one reason it dominates commercial vehicle applications. Even so, specify air-conditioning loads in your range calculations and ask about battery thermal management for your climate.
KAMA Automobile works with distributors and fleet operators on complete electric fleet projects, not only vehicle supply. That includes route-based model recommendation (1-ton EW1 for urban last-mile, 3-ton EM32 for regional distribution, ES8 electric cargo vans for parcel and service fleets), charging-standard configuration (GB/T or CCS2), body customization, pilot fleet packages with initial spare parts, and technical training for distributor workshops. For markets with import duty considerations, SKD and CKD supply options are available.
KAMA Automobile is a core enterprise of SINOMACH Group, a Fortune Global 500 state-owned enterprise. Established in 1993 and listed on the Shanghai Stock Exchange in 1998, KAMA has an annual production capacity of 200,000 vehicles and more than 4,000 employees. Its range covers electric commercial vehicles, light-duty trucks, mini trucks, cargo vans, minibuses and customized vehicles. KAMA holds ISO9001, COC and ISO/TS16949 certifications and exports to more than 60 countries.
Planning an electric delivery fleet? Send us your daily route distances, payload and market, and our international team will recommend a vehicle and charging configuration with an indicative TCO comparison. Contact overseas@kamaqc.cn or WhatsApp +86 136 0399 6917, or use our contact page.
