Chinese electric truck company wants to build a factory in Antwerp: “potential investment of 1-2 billion euros”

Chinese company Windrose, which produces electric trucks, is in “advanced discussions” to establish its European headquarters in Antwerp. This also includes an assembly plant and a research and development centre. Founder Han Wen told the French newspaper Le Monde. In Antwerp, people are keeping their lips tight at the moment.

The Windrose trucks are said to have a range of 600 kilometers and are significantly cheaper than similar vehicles from Tesla or Daimler. The company previously announced tests in France (with Decathlon as a partner) and the Netherlands.

Windrose received approval for its first semi-trailer in China only in December 2023, and wants to focus on the Chinese, European and US markets with the help of investors. The company is therefore working hard to establish a European headquarters, and according to Han Wen, Antwerp is within its sights to achieve this goal. The CEO is talking about an investment “potentially between 1 and 2 billion euros” that could be signed in the coming months if talks go well.

No reaction

Han Wen, as his LinkedIn page shows, visited Antwerp Mayor Bart de Wever (N-VA) a few weeks ago, along with Antwerp Voka CEO Luke Lowell. Neither De Wever nor Voka currently wish to respond to Windrose's statements. De Wever states that “entrepreneurs often come with ideas” and that they are always listened to. They do not want to say whether there have already been advanced discussions about a major investment in this case.

The Antwerp Port Authority does not want to say anything concrete either, but confirms its interest. “We are aware of this interesting project, but we cannot say anything about the ongoing negotiations,” the statement read.