Despite the overseas imposing hefty tariffs, Zhongtong Bus has limited its exports to the U.S., thereby minimizing the impact of the tariff policy on the company. "Currently, competition in the overseas market is fierce. We have been continuously expanding our personnel deployment and enhancing our overseas service capabilities," a company representative noted.

 

This year, Zhongtong Bus has seen a significant surge in overseas orders. Saudi Arabia has emerged as Zhongtong's first overseas market with orders exceeding 10,000 units, and Chinese bus products have made their debut in Dubai's public transportation system for the first time.

 

Amid intensifying international competition, how does this Shandong-based enterprise continue to expand its global footprint? What lies behind its "secret to going global"?

 

"Zhongtong is great!" At the ceremony marking the departure of the first batch of 895 pure electric buses from Zhongtong Auto bound for Chile, Matías Latorre, a representative from the Chilean client, praised the company in fluent Mandarin.

 

As the largest single-batch order for Chinese buses exported to Chile in recent years, this marks the third overseas "mega-order" secured by Zhongtong Bus in the past three years.

 

More notably, Zhongtong Bus successfully clinched an order for 40 new energy buses in Dubai, UAE, representing the first time Chinese bus manufacturers have entered Dubai's public transportation market in bulk.

 

The frequent acquisition of "mega-orders" stems not only from proactive market exploration but also from precise production-side demand matching. Zhongtong Bus has assembled a nearly thousand-strong R&D team, achieving industry-leading expertise in core areas such as vehicle energy-saving technology application, integrated design, and powertrain matching. The company has paid particular attention to refining vehicle reliability, environmental adaptability, and user habit compatibility.

 

"Tailoring strategies to the application scenarios of different countries, we precisely empower global markets with customized approaches," said Qi Honglei. The company adopts a "one-country, one-policy" strategy. For instance, in Singapore, the technical team conducted on-site research on the local high-temperature and high-humidity climate as well as narrow road conditions, specifically developing narrow-body turning models and optimizing vehicle layouts and turning radii. In African markets, the company has reinforced the underbody protection structure of vehicles to enhance durability in response to complex road conditions and driving habits.

 

Zhongtong Bus has also simultaneously upgraded its service network, reducing the after-sales service response radius from 300 kilometers to within 180 kilometers, thereby establishing a more user-centric global service system.

 

Adopting a "product + service" dual-pronged approach, Zhongtong Bus has not only gained access to high-end markets like Saudi Arabia and Dubai but also achieved breakthroughs in developed markets such as Northern Europe.

 

Technological R&D bolsters "going global" strength. According to Zhongtong's data, in the first quarter of this year, it exported 1,652 vehicles, with new energy vehicles accounting for 22.58%. To date, over 80,000 Zhongtong new energy buses have been operating worldwide.

 

Zhongtong Bus's achievements epitomize Shandong enterprises' global market expansion driven by high-quality products. Statistics show that in the first quarter, the "new technology content" of Shandong's foreign trade exports has further increased, with electric vehicle export values surging by 70.4%.

 

At Zhongtong's new energy vehicle remote monitoring center, staff can simply click a mouse to replay vehicle travel trajectories and access real-time data on vehicle battery conditions. In Zhongtong's equipment workshop, spray painting robots operate precisely in dust-free environments, nearly doubling paint utilization rates and significantly improving coating quality.

 

Zhongtong Bus has intensified its R&D investment, exceeding 500 million yuan in cumulative expenditure. "The company focuses on energy conservation, safety, and intelligent research directions to further enhance product quality and Zhongtong's competitiveness in the entire industry," said Qi Honglei. New energy technologies have provided Zhongtong Bus with an opportunity to "overtake on a curve" in the new energy bus export sector, where it is continuously exerting effort.

 

Since 2024, Zhongtong new energy buses have been exported to countries and regions such as Portugal, Singapore, Denmark, and the UAE. The cumulative effect of technological R&D has enabled Zhongtong new energy buses to transition from "following" to "leading" in the global market.

 

In Europe, Zhongtong Bus became the first Chinese bus brand to pass the EU's Whole Vehicle Type Approval (WVTA) certification. The Zhongtong H13E pure electric intercity bus made its global debut in Germany. Last year, 35 Zhongtong 18-meter BRT pure electric buses were delivered to Portugal, shuttling between the main urban area and suburbs of Coimbra. Zhongtong Bus has become Portugal's largest supplier of new energy buses, with a market share exceeding 50%. In Egypt, Zhongtong's N-series pure electric buses have successfully entered the Pyramids Scenic Area.

 

"The company has always relied on cutting-edge products to build its core competitiveness and shine a spotlight on China's green and intelligent bus manufacturing brand," said Qi Honglei. Zhongtong new energy buses are not only "going global" but also striving to "integrate deeply" into local markets faster and better.