The Chinese are famous for launching vehicles with unusual names. Two of our personal favourites are the Great Wall Wingle and the GAC Trumpchi (which, we are sure, was available in orange). And recently, we got the opportunity to take a very short spin in the interestingly named Windrose.
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Photo GridWindrose Technology – a relatively new Chinese player building battery-electric heavy trucks – was founded by a 34-year-old “Chinese-born American” entrepreneur by the name of Wen Han in 2022.
Since then, he’s been showing his truck at various events around the world – most recently, at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo (ACT) in the United States (US).
Public statements from Han indicate a strategy of building trucks in or near key markets (while keeping much of the supply chain in China) and pushing an aggressive price-to-spec ratio. Independent reporting has linked Windrose to plans for an American assembly plant in Georgia and a €175-million plant in northern France, with Antwerp flagged as a European hub. Han has told the media that he has 2,000 orders for his truck. He has also stated that he wants to become a low-cost mass supplier, “something like the McDonald's of the e-truck industry”.
The truck that we drove is a 6x4 full electric truck-tractor. It has a 705kWh battery (four packs), a claimed 670km range, and 20–80% charging in about 38 minutes when high-power infrastructure is available. Top speed is quoted at 120km/h. The truck comes with an overall length of 8,100mm, width of 2,545mm, height of 3,935mm, and a wheelbase split of 4,650mm plus 1,350mm. Gross combination mass for a single-trailer configuration is stated at 46,000kg.
Visually, the Windrose follows the wind-cheating template popular among clean-sheet electric truck-tractors: a blunt, tapered nose (“it has the face of a camel,” one passer-by commented); a deep one-piece windscreen; and plenty of fairing to tidy the airflow. It’s a large, tall machine in the metal – 8.1 metres long and just shy of 4 metres high – so presence is not in short supply. Ground clearance is listed at 290mm and the turning circle at 10.5 metres, which is reasonable for a 6x4 of this footprint.
The resemblance to other centre-seat electric tractors – the Tesla Semi, for instance – is unmissable, but the priority is clearly the coefficient of drag rather than brand theatrics. For operators, that matters more than styling debates…
Climb aboard and you’re met by a centre driving position with a sweep of high-resolution displays handling instruments, infotainment and the camera-mirror feeds. Yes, once again, it is very much like a Tesla Semi…
The layout is minimalist, with most functions living on screen rather than as physical switches. Behind the driver sits a sleeper section with storage; the demo vehicle we sampled featured decent materials and tidy fit, though production trims may vary by market.
That centre seat has obvious pros and some practical quirks. Forward visibility is absolutely incredible; you can literally see for ever. But toll plazas, weighbridges and certain dock operations are easier when you can simply lean out of the window on the left or right. It’s hardly a deal-breaker – but it’s worth thinking about.
The headline numbers centre on a four-pack 705kWh battery feeding an 800-volt electric drivetrain. Depending on configuration, the total system output lands comfortably in the territory expected of a modern heavy EV tractor, and the driving is what you’d anticipate: immediate acceleration and smooth torque delivery that makes hill starts and urban manoeuvring straightforward.
Our experience behind the wheel was limited to a short drive – enough to sample throttle response, regeneration and general refinement. As with many electric trucks, it leaps away briskly. Interestingly, the demo unit transmitted more road and tyre noise into the cab at low speeds than we expected; whether that’s down to demo tyres, insulation or calibration is something a longer test would need to resolve. There was also a strange mechanical noise (we were told that it was thanks to the fact that we were driving a prototype). The company quotes 20–80% charging in around 38 minutes when using very high-power chargers, and dual-port charging is supported. Kerb mass on the long-range model is listed at 11,900kg, which is pretty good (the exact kerb weight of the Tesla Semi is not publicly listed, but estimates place it around 12,247kg).
As always, the quoted 670km range depends on lots of stuff. Real-world results will depend on route profile, speed, weather, payload and driver behaviour. South African operators running into the Highveld or across the Karoo will want to model energy use carefully, particularly with prevailing winds and altitude changes in play.
Traditional mirrors make way for a camera-monitor system, with multiple exterior cameras feeding screens in the cab. The cameras offer a crisp picture and good low-light performance. The assistance suite includes the expected roster: automatic emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, lane-centring control and automatic high-beam management. The pitch is improved visibility and reduced blind spots, with the added benefit of better aero. As ever, fitment and functionality will depend on local homologation.
On paper, the Windrose is an intriguing proposition: a purpose-built electric 6x4 with a large battery, rapid charging capability and an aerodynamic design. The numbers will turn heads. For South African fleets, the bigger questions sit around suitability for our use cases (we want to run to 56 tonnes), infrastructure and support.
Two hard realities remain. First, charging: megawatt-class or even high-capacity Combined Charging System (CCS) infrastructure is thin on the ground here. Depot charging is feasible for night-parked fleets, but true corridor charging at scale will take investment and coordination. Second, support: any newcomer must prove depth in aftersales, parts and roadside assistance across our long distances. Without that backbone, uptime and residuals will be question marks, regardless of how compelling the spec sheet looks.
From the brief time we spent in the cab, the fundamentals feel sound. The truck moves with the punch common to electric drivetrains, and the interface is modern without being baffling. The noise levels we noticed need a closer look, and the central seating position will divide opinion – but none of these issues are a train smash.
So where does that leave the South African operator? Cautiously curious, we’d think. If Windrose can back its claims with dependable local support, secure homologation for our market, and demonstrate consistent real-world range, it will earn a place on shortlists for specific applications. The sensible next step is a data-led trial: a few weeks on a real route, with energy and uptime measured properly.
Could this happen? Honestly, we don’t know. We asked the chaps from Windrose about their plans to enter the South African market and they were keen. “We want to be like Apple; we want to be everywhere in the world,” they told us.
Let’s see if they can make that happen.
Photography: TTM.nl and supplied
Charleen ClarkeCharleen Clarke is editorial director of FOCUS on Transport & Logistics, South Africa’s leading commercial vehicle magazine. She is an associate jury member on the International Truck of the Year jury and she also judges the annual Truck Innovation Award. She has been writing about commercial vehicles for more decades than she cares to admit. View News & Reviews
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