I. Case Background: Blue License Plate Sludge Suction Truck Procurement Requirement by a District Urban Management Bureau in Xi’an In Q3 2025, the Urban Management Bureau of a district in Xi’an launched a procurement process for specialized sanitation vehicles, focusing on drainage pipe networks, rivers, and sludge removal operations in urban and peri-urban areas. According to publicly released tender information, the core vehicle model required was a Dongfeng dual-cab blue license plate sludge suction truck, with a minimum sludge capacity of 3 cubic meters. The procuring entity explicitly identified several critical technical pain points in its technical specifications: High Dustproof Sealing Requirement: Located in Northwest China, Xi’an experiences frequent sandstorm weather in spring. Sludge suction trucks tend to generate substantial dust during operation; therefore, vehicles must feature excellent tank sealing and dust-suppression unloading design to prevent secondary pollution. Adaptability to Desertification-Affected Areas: Some operational zones are adjacent to the Wei River and surrounding sandy regions, where road conditions are complex. Vehicles must demonstrate strong off-road chassis adaptability and enhanced protection for filtration systems. Filtration System Maintenance Interval: Due to high airborne sand content in ambient air, engine and hydraulic system air filters and oil filters must deliver superior filtration efficiency while reducing maintenance frequency—avoiding unplanned downtime caused by filter clogging. Blue License Plate Compliance & Road Access Rights: Vehicles must be operable with a Class C1 driver’s license and permitted entry into urban restricted-traffic zones, ensuring uninterrupted daily operations. After multiple rounds of technical evaluation and commercial negotiation, Chengli Special Purpose Vehicle Co., Ltd.’s Dongfeng dual-cab blue license plate 3-cubic-meter sludge suction truck solution emerged as the preferred choice. The first batch of pilot vehicles has been delivered, and customer feedback has been highly positive. II. Fuel-Powered vs. Battery-Electric Version: In-Depth Cost and Application Scenario Comparison During this procurement process, the buyer rigorously evaluated the applicability of conventional fuel-powered sludge suction trucks versus fully electric alternatives. The following comparative analysis is based on reference models provided by Chengli (fuel-powered version: CLW5070GSSD6 official announcement parameters; electric version: same-chassis electrified solution): Comparison Dimension Fuel-Powered Version (Dongfeng Dual-Cab Blue License Plate, 3 m³) Electric Version (Same-Chassis Electrified Solution) Procurement Cost (Based on Public Tender Data) Approx. RMB 98,000–115,000 per unit (reference price range for blue license plate 5 m³ water-sprinkling trucks; sludge suction trucks—with specialized superstructures—are budgeted at ≤RMB 134,000 per unit) Approx. RMB 250,000–300,000 per unit (significantly higher than fuel-powered version due to battery cost) Operating Cost (3 Years / 100,000 km) Fuel cost ≈ RMB 80,000 (based on 12 L/100 km fuel consumption and RMB 7.5/L fuel price); maintenance & servicing ≈ RMB 15,000 (including engine oil, three filters, and hydraulic oil replacement) Electricity cost ≈ RMB 15,000 (based on 60 kWh/100 km energy consumption and RMB 0.8/kWh electricity rate); maintenance & servicing ≈ RMB 8,000 (no internal combustion engine, but battery cooling system requires periodic maintenance) Range & Charging Capability Full-tank range ≈ 300–400 km; refueling is convenient and instantaneous Full-charge range ≈ 150–200 km (reduced further under actual sludge suction operating conditions); charging requires 4–6 hours (fast charging), necessitating dedicated charging infrastructure Dustproof Sealing Performance Mature solution: tank can be designed as fully sealed; discharge outlet equipped with dust shield—fully compliant with Xi’an’s sandstor