Vitality China Research Tour | 40 seconds to assemble a complete vehicle: Fengxian’s three-wheeled electric motorcycles, from bumpy dirt roads to the global stage

Summary

Feng County in Xuzhou, Jiangsu, has developed a 30-billion-yuan industrial cluster based on the electric three-wheeled motorcycle industry. In the workshop of Xuzhou Keya Electromechanical Co. , Ltd.

, General Manager Wang Zaifeng introduced that the controller is known as the 'brain' of the vehicle, dictating how fast it runs, how much power it has, and how steep a slope it can climb. In 2012, the company was still using German Infineon chips; now it has switched to domestically produced chips made in Nanjing, upgrading from M0 to M4, with computing power increasing 16-fold. Feng County's motors have also evolved from early hub motors that could only go 18 km/h and had single-side drive and tipped over at the slightest bump, to electric drive axles with differentials that can steadily reach 60 km/h, and are now moving toward 80 km/h.

Duan Suping, general manager of Jiangsu Hanbang Vehicle Industry, is most proud of the 'suspended seat'; the technology has applied for patent protection in more than 120 countries worldwide. In Meibang Electric Vehicle's final assembly workshop, more than 300 welding robots can turn out a chassis in as fast as 60 seconds and assemble a complete vehicle in 40 seconds. Last year, its output of complete vehicles across all categories reached 600,000 units, with revenue exceeding 1 billion yuan.

At present, Feng County has more than 1,400 complete-vehicle and parts enterprises banding together into a chain, with annual production capacity exceeding 5 million units. Its core component motors have captured more than 95% of the national market, and its products sell well in more than 100 countries and regions; in Changdian Town, 80% of the labor force is engaged in the electric vehicle industry and supporting trades.

Commentary

Feng County's electric three-wheeled motorcycle industry has gone from 'low-end mobility' to global bestseller status, with vertical supply chain integration and technological iteration at its core. For New Zealand SME owners, this is not just a 'Made in China' story; it also reflects the substitution potential of light electric vehicles in agricultural and pastoral settings. New Zealand farms and horticulture businesses have sustained demand for multifunctional, low-cost transport tools.

Traditional ATVs or pickups have high purchase and maintenance costs, while Feng County products have low unit prices, flexible load capacity, and have already been adapted to Australian ranch scenarios (such as drone coordination), suggesting that New Zealand farmers could evaluate similar solutions to reduce operating expenses. However, note that New Zealand has strict requirements for vehicle safety, emissions, and road regulations, and importers need to confirm whether products have passed local certification (such as NZTA standards), especially the legality of electric three-wheeled motorcycles on public roads. On the other hand, Feng County's shift from Infineon to domestically produced chips for controllers, with greatly improved computing power, shows China's trend toward an independent and controllable supply chain.

New Zealand importers may face shorter delivery cycles and lower costs, but should also be alert to the potential geopolitical impact on chip supply. In addition, local New Zealand light electric vehicle assemblers or distributors should consider cooperating with Feng County enterprises and using their mature component system (motors account for 95% of the national market) to develop customized products, such as torque tuning for hilly terrain or cold-chain delivery modifications. Feng County's annual production capacity of 5 million units and more than 1,400 enterprises clustering together mean buyers have ample choice, but they need to screen manufacturers wi

Keywords: Feng County, electric three-wheeled motorcycle, controller, motor, electric drive axle, industrial cluster, suspension seat, welding robot, export

Summary in Chinese | 摘要

江苏徐州丰县以电动三轮摩托车产业撑起300亿元产业集群。在徐州科亚机电有限公司车间，总经理王在峰介绍，控制器被称作整车“大脑”，跑多快、劲多大、爬多陡全凭它拿捏；2012年公司还在用德国英飞凌芯片，如今换上南京产的国产芯片，从M0升级到M4，算力翻了十六倍。丰县的电机也从早年只能跑十八码、单边驱动一颠就翻的轮毂电机，进化到带差速器、稳稳冲上六十码的电驱桥，眼下正朝着八十码迈进。

江苏汉邦车业总经理段素平最得意的是“悬浮座椅”，该技术已在全球一百二十多个国家申请专利保护。美邦电动车总装车间里，三百多台焊接机器人最快六十秒下线一副底盘、四十秒组装一台整车，去年全品类整车产出六十万辆，营收超十亿元。目前丰县已有一千四百多家整车与零部件企业抱团成链，年产能突破五百万辆，核心零部件电机拿下全国九成五以上的市场，产品畅销一百多个国家和地区；常店镇八成劳动力投身电动车产业及配套行当。

Commentary in Chinese | 评论

丰县电动三轮摩托车产业从“低端代步”到全球畅销，核心是供应链垂直整合与技术迭代。对于新西兰中小企业主，这不仅是“中国制造”的故事，更折射出轻型电动车辆在农牧业场景的替代潜力。新西兰农场和园艺业对多功能、低成本运输工具有持续需求，传统ATV或皮卡购置与维护成本高，而丰县产品单价低、载重灵活，且已适配澳洲牧场场景（如无人机协同），提示新西兰牧场主可评估类似方案降低运营开支。

但需注意，新西兰对车辆安全、排放和道路法规有严格要求，进口商需确认产品是否通过当地认证（如NZTA标准），尤其是电动三轮摩托在公路行驶的合法性。另一方面，丰县控制器从英飞凌转向国产芯片、算力大幅提升，显示中国供应链自主可控趋势，新西兰进口商可能面临更短的交付周期和成本下降，但也要警惕地缘政治对芯片供应的潜在影响。此外，新西兰本地轻型电动车组装或分销商应考虑与丰县企业合作，利用其成熟零部件体系（电机占全国95%市场）开发定制化产品，例如针对丘陵地形的扭矩调校或冷链配送改装。

丰县年产能500万辆、1400多家企业抱团，意味着采购方拥有充分选择权，但需筛选具备出口经验和专利保护意识的厂商（如汉邦车业的悬浮座椅已在120多国申请专利），避免知识产权纠纷。新西兰中小企业若切入该领域，优先关注售后服务网络和配件供应稳定性，而非单纯比价。

关键词: 丰县, 电动三轮摩托车, 控制器, 电机, 电驱桥, 产业集群, 悬浮座椅, 焊接机器人, 出口

Source: Xinhua Daily Media Network