Public data shows that, in 2019, China heavy trucks realized about total sales of 1.17M, YOY increase 2%, and hit a new high. Industry estimates that, total sales of heavy trucks in 2020 in China will remain stabled operation, and in the next 3 years, the sales of heavy trucks will still remain sales of 1M - 1.1M.
However, increase of numbers of heavy trucks also bring significant negative effect, which mainly shows at noise pollution, road damage, tail gas emissions’ greenhouse effect and damage to ecological environment. In Sep 2019, Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) released <China Mobile Sources Environmental Management Annual Report (2019)>, which shows that, in 2018, although diesel trucks only occupy 7.9% of car quantity, they discharged 60.0% NOx and 84.6% particulate matters (PM).
Before, in Jun 2018, the State Council released <3-Year Plan on Defending the Blue Sky>, which pointed out, by 2020, SO2 and NOx emission amount decreases more than 15% compare with 2015, respectively. In the same month, MEE released <GB17651-2018 Limits and Measurement Methods for Emissions from Diesel Fuelled Heavy-duty Vehicles (China VI)>, pointed out, in terms of fueled vehicles, from Jul 1, 2019, overall implement China VI regardless of industries and areas. In terms of diesel vehicles, buses, sanitations and postal services etc. city buses start implementation of China VI from Jul 1, 2020, while on Jul 1, 2021, all vehicles start implementation of China VI.
ASIACHEM believes that, implementation of China VI Standard will further enlarge the oil-fueled vehicles’ environmental protection, emission reduction and upgrading pressure, so that NEV and clean-energy vehicles will usher fast development. In NEV, compare with BEV, FCV has the characteristics of long driving mileage, fast hydrogen refueling, large carrying capacity and zero emission etc.; compare with natural gas vehicle, a typical clean-energy vehicle, FCV is safer and has more widely fuel sources. In recent years, China is enlarging planning and supporting strength of FCV. Since hydrogen was written in Report on the Work of the Government, up to end of 2019, China totally has more than 30 governments of provinces, cities or even districts releasing related planning, support and guide development of hydrogen energy and fuel cell industry. These all create good nurturing environment to China oil-fueled vehicles ‘Oil to Hydrogen’.
ASIACHEM <China Fuel Cell Industrial Chain Annual Report 2019> research indicates that, progresses of China fuel cell heavy trucks are shown as below:
China National Heavy Duty Truck Group
Jul 2017, China first hydrogen-fueled dock tractor, which was manufactured by China National Heavy Duty Truck Group, successfully offline in Shandong Jinan.
Information shows that, this is China first hydrogen fuel cell heavy truck, which uses extended-range technical scheme. Fuel cell as range extender, can allocate hydrogen cylinders according to actual requirement, and meet each kind of operation condition.
Jiangling Heavy Duty Vehicle Co. Ltd.
Sep 2019, MIIT publicized new products applying for Batch-324 <Road Motor Vehicles Production Enterprises and Products Announcement>. Among, Jiangling heavy tractor, Code SXQ4180J1A2FCEV, was selected.
The tractor weighs 8970kg, wheel base is 4200mm and driving mileage breaks 300km. It used fuel cell system is cooperated and developed by Shanghai Jiening New Energy Science and Technology Development and Jiangsu Horizon New Energy Technologies, by using ultra-thin non-conventional flow field graphite plate mono-stack, realize bare stack above 110kW power output and fuel cell system above 95kW power output. Besides, the tractor also carries 8 35MPa high-pressure cylinders.
Jiangsu Aoxin New Energy Automobile Co. Ltd.
Oct 2019, 3 hydrogen energy container lorries put into actual scene test operation in Shandong Qingdao.
Information shows that, the container lorries are co-R&D by Qingdao Qianwan Container Terminal, Machinery (Shandong) Heavy Industries Science and Technology, Jiangsu Aoxin New Energy Automobile and Yancheng Guotou Zhongke New Energy Science and Technology.
SAIC-IVECO Hongyan Commercial Vehicle Co. Ltd.
Nov 2019, SAIC-IVECO Hongyan Commercial Vehicle and its Hongyan fuel cell dump truck was displayed.
Information shows that, this truck carries the fuel cell which is independently researched and developed by SAIC Group, uses world first-class metal bipolar plate and leading low-temperature start-up strategy, can start-up under conditions of -30℃; by optimizing stack structure design and system strategy, it can also realize self-humidification, reduce fuel cell system cost.
Shaanxi Automobile Holding Group Co. Ltd.
Nov 2011, Shaanxi Automobile displayed heavy truck X5000, which carries hydrogen fuel cell power system.
Weichai Power Co. Ltd.
Dec 2019, first domestic-made 200t and above hydrogen fuel cell – LIB hybrid powered mining dump truck successfully offline.
Information shows that, the truck is joint researched and developed by Weichai Power, China Hydrogen Energy Alliance and CHN Energy, while core control system is provided by CRRC Yongji Electric Co. Ltd.
Foshan Feichi Automobile Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
Jan 2020, Guangdong Foshan Feichi successfully researched and developed first hydrogen fuel cell tractor. The tractor is 7.4m in length, total mass 25000km, maximum permissible saddle-load mass reaches 11500km and full-load mass reaches 49000km. Under full-load, driving mileage can still reaches 400km. Currently, Foshan Feichi has finished tractor’s entire vehicle manufacture, related tests are in progress.
Other Projects
Dec 2019, Shanghai Re-Fire, Jiangsu Changshu High-tech Industry Development Zone Administrative Committee and Toyota Tsusho (Shanghai) reached cooperation, and would co-construct hydrogen fuel cell heavy truck demonstration application project.
According to the agreement, Shanghai Re-Fire and Toyota Tsusho would win-win cooperate, plays each party’s professional technologies and advantages, cooperate in Changshu High-tech Industry Development Zone, take the lead in developing hydrogen fuel cell heavy truck demonstration project. Afterwards, rely on experiences of this project, both parties would further expand cooperation range to other areas, assist realization of green logistics transportation.
Nov 2019, Hyundai Motor hydrogen fuel cell commercial-used vehicle business promotion conference was held in Shanghai. Hyundai Motor stated that, in terms of development of hydrogen fuel cell trucks, the company has developed and discussed light and mid-scale trucks suit for China market and target is to enter the market in H2, 2021. Trucks put on market in early stage has 34t total towing weight and 2 95kW stacks, driving mileage is 300-400km. Besides, the company prepared to introduce fuel cell heavy trucks in 2023, and fuel cell tractors in 2025, and the company will ensure price competitiveness by parts localization and cost reduction from 2023 to 2025.
