On March 30th, a grand event marking a new phase of commercialization for China’s hydrogen energy industry was held at the North Service Area of the Qianjiang Section of the Shanghai-Chongqing Expressway in Hubei Province. The Han Yi Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Line, jointly developed by Dongfeng Commercial Vehicles and Hubei Provincial Transportation Investment Group Co., Ltd. (referred to as “Hubei Transport Investment” or “HTI”), was officially launched. Zhao Jun, Deputy Secretary-General and Director of the Office of the Hubei Provincial Government; Zhou Xianpeng, Assistant General Manager of Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Chairman of Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd.; and Zhang Xiaofan, General Manager of Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd., among other leaders, attended the event to witness this historic milestone.
In a strong collaborative effort, an energy-efficient corridor for commercial vehicles on Hubei highways was created
To actively respond to the national green development strategy and the key tasks of the new energy vehicle industry in Hubei Province, Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Hubei Transport Investment Group have been deeply cooperating since July 2023. They jointly built the Hubei High-speed New Energy Demonstration Corridor for commercial vehicles around the “Han Ten” and “Han Yi” expressways, aiming to promote the high-quality development of the new energy industry in Hubei Province. Dongfeng Motor Corporation, along with upstream and downstream value chain partners, actively planned and laid out the project. After in-depth discussions and targeted development, in November 2023, Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle, Hubei Transport Investment, and Anjie Logistics reached an agreement to deploy 200 hydrogen-powered heavy trucks on the Han Yi Hydrogen Corridor, marking the commercial realization of the project under the joint efforts of all parties.
Ye Zhanping, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager of Hubei Transport Investment Group Co., Ltd., said in his speech at the event that under the leadership of the national “dual carbon” strategy, hydrogen energy, as the ultimate energy source, will undoubtedly be a key direction for future industrial development. Highways provide an excellent scenario for the cross-regional application of hydrogen energy in freight transport, transitioning from short distances to medium and long-haul markets. Hubei Transport Investment Group, as the main unit of the hydrogen energy industry chain in our province, has laid out plans for the entire road network, covering the entire value chain of the hydrogen energy industry, and joined hands with partners such as Dongfeng, Wuhan Zhongyu, and Anjie Logistics to jointly launch the hydrogen energy demonstration line, embracing hydrogen energy for a win-win future.
Yan Fuwu, Fellow of the China Society of Automotive Engineers and Dean of the School of Automotive Engineering at Wuhan University of Technology, shared three major trends in the future development of China’s hydrogen energy industry with the attendees: first, the accelerated transformation of the world’s energy structure, making the development of hydrogen energy a global consensus and a strategic choice to accelerate green and low-carbon transformation, foster new economic growth points, achieve “dual carbon” goals, and address climate change; second, rapid growth in demand for hydrogen energy, with key technological issues gradually being resolved; third, the expanding application scope of hydrogen energy, with a growing and improving standard system. This demonstration is of great significance as it leads the way for technology verification, advances standard construction, and provides valuable experience for future commercial applications.
Yu Haiping, Secretary of the Party Committee of Sinopec Hubei Petroleum Branch and Representative of the Branch, stated that Sinopec, as a key enterprise in the hydrogen energy application industry designated by the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission of the State Council, firmly shoulders the mission of ensuring national energy security and promoting energy transformation and development. Hubei Petroleum will adhere to the development concept of “hydrogen is ours, and we will do our best” proposed by Sinopec, deepen cooperation and collaboration with major enterprises, institutions, and social organizations, continuously expand the “hydrogen” circle, accelerate the establishment of Sinopec’s hydrogen production base in Hubei, promote the construction of hydrogen energy application scenarios in multiple fields, and accelerate the full-chain development of hydrogen supply from refinery hydrogen supply to independent hydrogen production and stable hydrogen sales, contributing greater strength to the high-quality and green development of Hubei’s new energy industry.
Zhou Xianpeng, Assistant General Manager of Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Chairman of Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd., expressed gratitude to the various value chain partners involved in this cooperation and said that with the strong support and promotion of leaders at all levels of the Hubei provincial and municipal governments, Dongfeng has adhered to the direction of green and intelligent development, continuously accelerating the pace of transformation and development in new energy. Dongfeng has completed the strategic layout of new energy brands, platforms, products, key assemblies, and core technology resources, forming a new energy brand and product matrix covering luxury, high-end, mainstream, and small vehicles. With the launch of the Han Yi Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Project, Dongfeng has strengthened strategic cooperation with Hubei Transport Group and Anjie Logistics, united upstream and downstream partners in the industry chain, further connected the links of “production-storage-transportation-injection-use” and “vehicle-road-cargo,” achieved actual operation, commercial closed-loop, and promotion-capable models, and paved a new path for promoting the development of the hydrogen energy industry, which will strongly accelerate Dongfeng’s transformation and upgrade and effectively promote the low-carbon transformation of Hubei’s transportation sector and the high-quality development of the automotive industry.
Working together to create, value chain partners declare to ensure the efficient operation of the demonstration line
Taking advantage of this event, Hubei Transport Investment Group and Sinopec Hubei Petroleum Branch joined forces and complemented each other’s strengths, conducting a strategic signing ceremony on-site to further integrate highway gas stations with “one network, one entity.” Tang Shaolong, Manager of the Development Planning Department of Sinopec Hubei Petroleum Branch, and Cheng Long, Secretary of the Party Committee and Chairman of Hubei Investment Corporation, signed the agreement on behalf of both parties, with Zhao Jun, Deputy Secretary-General of the Provincial Government, Zhou Yongshi, Deputy Director of the Hubei State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, Yu Haiping, Secretary of the Party Committee of Sinopec Hubei Petroleum Branch, and other leaders witnessing the signing.
In an inspiring moment, representatives from various value chains came forward with declarations of cooperation—Zhang Xiaofan, General Manager of Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd.; Wang Nanjun, Chairman of Hubei Chutian Intelligent Transportation Co., Ltd.; Wang Qibing, General Manager of Hubei Anjie Chu Dao Supply Chain Co., Ltd.; Pan Lingyong, Deputy General Manager of Sinopec Petroleum Machinery Co., Ltd.; Liu Zhen, General Manager of China Hydrogen Technology Wuhan Green Dynamic Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd.; Chen Tong, Brand and Public Relations Director of Wuhan Zhongyu Power System Technology Co., Ltd., made partnership declarations, jointly creating and safeguarding the operation of the Han Yi Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Line.
Actions speak louder than words. As of now, two advanced hydrogen refueling stations have been successfully built on the Han Yi Expressway, and 200 Dongfeng hydrogen-powered heavy trucks have been purchased according to plan, with the first 30 units having completed registration procedures and are about to be put into operation, setting a new example for hydrogen energy transportation applications in Hubei Province and even nationwide. At the event, Jin Mouzhi, Deputy General Manager of Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd., presented the vehicle keys symbolizing the “hydrogen-powered future” to Ruan Yiheng, General Manager of Hubei Chutian Intelligent Transportation Co., Ltd., and Wang Qibing, General Manager of Hubei Anjie Chu Dao Supply Chain Co., Ltd., officially delivering the first batch of 30 Dongfeng Tianlong KL hydrogen fuel cell tractor units.
Standing at the new starting point of hydrogen energy, holding the keys to open the door to a zero-carbon future, under the joint launch of Zhao Jun, Deputy Secretary-General and Director of the Office of the Hubei Provincial Government; Zhou Xianpeng, Assistant General Manager of Dongfeng Motor Corporation and Chairman of Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd.; Yu Haiping, Secretary of the Party Committee of Sinopec Hubei Petroleum Branch and Representative of the Branch; Ye Zhanping, Deputy Secretary of the Party Committee and General Manager of Hubei Transport Investment Group Co., Ltd.; Sheng Zhangxue, Member of the Party Group and Chief Engineer of the Hubei Provincial Department of Economy and Information Technology; Zhou Yongshi, Member of the Party Committee and Deputy Director of Hubei State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission; Liu Cheng’an, Second-level Inspector of the Hubei Provincial Department of Finance; Liu Daowei, Second-level Inspector of the Hubei Provincial Department of Commerce; Sheng Wenjun, Secretary of the Party Committee of Qianjiang Municipal Government in Hubei Province; and Zhang Xiaofan, General Manager of Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Co., Ltd., the “Dongfeng Hydrogen Moves Chutian Comfortably, Zero Carbon Ecological Future” Hubei Han Yi High-speed Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Line was officially launched.
Environmental protection and efficiency: Dongfeng hydrogen fuel cell tractors power the blue sky
The 30 hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks delivered this time, Dongfeng Tianlong KL hydrogen fuel cell tractors, are the crystallization of Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle’s continuous research and innovation in hydrogen energy technology, combining multiple advantages in one vehicle. The vehicles adopt an efficient and low-emission fuel cell system, providing outstanding endurance and power performance, as well as short hydrogen refueling times and high operational efficiency, offering a feasible clean energy solution for long-haul freight transportation.
Specifically, they exhibit:
- Low-carbon and environmental protection: zero emissions, fully meeting national standards, technical parameters, and incentive subsidy requirements, making them the best choice for demonstrating fuel cell vehicle applications.
- Efficient operation: quick hydrogen refueling in just 10 minutes, with easier operation compared to traditional fuel vehicles.
- Long-range endurance: with a large-capacity hydrogen system and energy-saving control, they can achieve a comprehensive driving range of 400 km under mixed conditions.
- Comfortable driving experience: featuring the Dongfeng D320 cab, low noise, and accessories such as full-floating front and rear airbag suspension, top flow guides, side deflector plates with daytime running lights, electric air conditioning, and heating, providing a more comfortable driving experience.
As the first large-scale application of hydrogen-powered heavy trucks on domestic highways, the Han Yi Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Line connects important economic regions such as Wuhan, Qianjiang,Xiantao, Jingzhou, and Yichang in Hubei Province. Its launch and operation will strongly promote the coordinated development of the hydrogen energy industry chain upstream and downstream, build a complete closed-loop ecological system from hydrogen production, storage, transportation, injection to use, and have significant strategic significance for optimizing regional energy structure, reducing carbon emissions from transportation industries, and assisting in achieving national dual-carbon goals.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. With the successful launch of the Han Yi Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Line and the large-scale operation of Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle’s hydrogen-powered heavy trucks, the hydrogen energy blueprint jointly drawn by Dongfeng Motor Corporation, Hubei Transport Investment Group, and all cooperation partners has officially taken root. This is not only an important step forward for all partners in exploring low-carbon, environmentally friendly, and sustainable development paths but also a strong response from Hubei Province to the national new energy strategy and a reliable guardian of our beautiful homeland. Let us look forward together and wish for the smooth operation of the Han Yi Hydrogen Energy Demonstration Line, making hydrogen move Chu Tian comfortably, and writing a new chapter for building a green and zero-carbon China in the transportation system.
