Pony.ai to put 100,000 autonomous electric trucks on the road by 2030 [video]

This is a story about long-haul trucking, not home energy upgrades, but here's the gist for anyone curious. Chinese company Pony.ai plans to put 100,000 self-driving electric trucks on the road by 2030, working with truck maker SANY. The near-term plan calls for 500 to 1,000 of its heavy-duty "Gen-4" autonomous trucks deployed in China over the next two to three years for long-haul freight, hauling bulk goods, and moving containers at ports. Lighter-duty autonomous trucks are expected to scale faster, which is where the 100,000 figure by 2030 comes from.

The trucks use a system rated "L4" for autonomous driving, a level meant to handle driving tasks without a person at the wheel in most conditions. Pony.ai says new hardware has cut the cost of building these self-driving systems by about 70 percent compared to its last generation, which is a big reason the company feels ready to move from testing to real production. It says more than 200 of these trucks have already been running since November 2025, hauling freight and bringing in revenue.

The truck itself is an electric semi built on SANY's e263 platform, with a large battery pack and fast-charging capability. None of this involves home electricity upgrades, rebates, or equipment homeowners would buy — it's aimed at freight and shipping companies, not houses.