EZGO signs deal to build an autonomous EV platform for the US market

EZGO Technologies has entered into a strategic partnership with Autotrax.ai and Zhejiang Hengyuan Machinery to develop an autonomous electric vehicle platform tailored specifically for the US market. The collaboration aims to deliver a vertically integrated commercial vehicle solution, combining the strengths of each company to address the growing demand for intelligent logistics and transportation in North America. The vehicles will be assembled at Autotrax.ai’s facility in California, ensuring local production that meets US fleet deployment and procurement standards. Zhejiang Hengyuan brings significant experience to the partnership, having supplied over 3,000 chassis platforms with payload capacities ranging from 0.5 to 2 tons to autonomous vehicle operators such as WeRide and Jiushi. Autotrax.ai contributes its autonomous driving engineering expertise and California-based assembly capabilities, while EZGO offers its lithium battery manufacturing and intelligent vehicle control system technology. Together, these capabilities are expected to accelerate the development and commercialisation of all-weather autonomous logistics vehicles, with a target launch date set for the first half of 2027. EZGO is also planning to make a strategic equity investment in Autotrax.ai, although the financial details have not yet been disclosed. The investment proceeds will be used to expand Autotrax.ai’s US assembly operations, enhance lithium battery testing facilities, and support engineering scale-up and regulatory compliance efforts. This move is seen as a step towards preparing Autotrax.ai for a potential future listing on a US capital market, reflecting the companies’ ambitions to establish a strong foothold in the autonomous commercial vehicle sector. Ye Jianhui, Chairman and CEO of EZGO Technologies, highlighted the complementary nature of the partnership, emphasising how each company’s unique strengths combine to create a competitive offering in the evolving autonomous vehicle landscape. The alliance is positioned to capitalise on the rapid growth of commercial logistics and intelligent transportation in North America, signalling a significant development in the electric and autonomous vehicle industry. The collaboration underscores the increasing importance of localised manufacturing and integrated technology solutions in meeting the demands of future mobility markets.