Windrose Technology is preparing to make its mark in the North American heavy-duty truck market with the introduction of its battery-electric R700 Class 8 tractor. Deliveries to customers are expected to start in May 2026. These trucks will be imported, sold, and serviced by Xos Trucks, a company already well-versed in electric commercial vehicles and fleet management. This collaboration aims to challenge established manufacturers and compete directly with other electric truck innovators such as Tesla.
The R700 will come in two versions tailored to different operational needs. The short-range model will feature a 436-kilowatt-hour battery pack, providing an estimated driving range of 200 to 250 miles per charge. Meanwhile, the long-range version will be equipped with a larger 730-kWh battery pack, capable of covering between 400 and 450 miles on a single charge. Pricing has been set competitively, with the short-range truck priced at about $270,000 and the long-range at roughly $290,000. These prices factor in tariffs imposed by previous U.S. administrations on imported medium- and heavy-duty trucks.
Initially, sales efforts will focus on California, a key market for electric trucks, but Xos plans to expand distribution to other important states including Texas, Washington, New York, and New Jersey. Although specific customers have not been publicly named, early orders have been secured from shorthaul and drayage fleets. Windrose CEO Wen Han has expressed interest in establishing at least one assembly plant within the United States to support production but has yet to finalize the location.
Xos CEO Dakota Semler emphasized that their existing infrastructure for vehicle sales and service positions them well to help Windrose scale effectively across the U.S. market. Xos currently operates a manufacturing facility in Tennessee and previously ran another plant in Mexico before closing it due to logistical challenges. Both companies are also exploring the possibility of producing the R700 domestically to strengthen supply chain resilience.
On the international front, Windrose is expanding manufacturing capabilities in Europe with facilities including a plant in France and an assembly site at the port of Antwerp in Belgium. The company envisions establishing assembly plants in all major truck-buying regions globally. In addition to vehicle production and sales, Windrose has partnered with charging infrastructure providers such as Greenlane and Terawatt Infrastructure to support fleet operations. Early deployments of Windrose trucks were conducted with regional carriers like JoyRide Logistics in Arizona during 2025 as part of pilot programs aimed at assessing alternative powertrains for long-haul trucking.
