SHANGHAI – The three-day 2025 International Conference on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Vehicles concluded on June 18th in Shanghai, featuring nearly 300 domestic and international companies showcasing new products and technologies for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (FCVs).

The event comprehensively displayed the full industrial chain of hydrogen FCVs.

Vehicle Innovations:

· A new generation hydrogen fuel cell passenger car extended its range from 550 km to 700 km, with refueling taking just 5 minutes.

· The world's first hydrogen-electric hybrid passenger vehicle, capable of running on either hydrogen or electricity, surpassed 10,000 km in demonstration operations.

Core Component Breakthroughs:

· Fuel Cell Stack: A domestically developed stack achieves cold starts at -30°C and boasts a design lifespan exceeding 10,000 hours.

· Catalyst: A proprietary catalyst, featuring a unique mesoporous structure, enhances stability and durability, improving overall performance by 10-15%.

· Bipolar Plates: New titanium-based carbon-coated plates utilize an innovative process, targeting a lifespan over 30,000 hours and reducing costs by more than 30%.

Zhao Lijin, Deputy Secretary-General, China Society of Automotive Engineers (China-SAE): "Significant technological breakthroughs have been made across the entire chain – from hydrogen production, storage, and transportation to refueling, as well as in fuel cell materials and stack system integration technologies."

World's Largest Hydrogen Fuel Cell Mining Truck Debuts
The conference witnessed the global debut of the world's largest hydrogen fuel cell mining truck.

This colossal machine, the world's first 260-ton class hydrogen FC mining truck, measures over 14.7 meters long, 9.1 meters wide, and 7.4 meters high, with tires standing 3.7 meters tall. Powered by five 200 kW hydrogen fuel cell systems with a hydrogen capacity of 236 kg, it can carry 118 cubic meters of ore – equivalent to 30 sedans. Beyond its capability to start at -40°C, it offers substantial advantages.

Ren Yahui, Chairman, Shanghai Hydrogen Technology Co., Ltd.: "A single 260-ton hydrogen mining truck operating daily can reduce CO2 emissions by 3,000 tons annually. Over its lifecycle, assuming hydrogen costs around ¥25/kg, it can save approximately ¥30 million in fuel costs, demonstrating immense economic value."

Zhao Lijin, China-SAE: "The expanding application scenarios – from hydrogen mining trucks in construction machinery, hydrogen transport vehicles in logistics, to hydrogen bicycles in consumer mobility – clearly illustrate the continuous advancement and diversification of our technology and its utilization."

Transportation Applications Drive Maturation of Industrial Ecosystem
Hydrogen FCVs, characterized by zero emissions, long range, and strong low-temperature performance, represent a crucial pathway for deep decarbonization in transport. Their deepening penetration is fostering a maturing industrial ecosystem.

Driven by the ongoing implementation of FCV demonstration policies, hydrogen FCVs have seen widespread adoption in 2025 across diverse scenarios including long-haul transport, cold chain logistics, municipal sanitation, and taxi/ride-hailing services.

· On a 700-km steel transport route between Tianjin and Wu'an, Hebei, 20 hydrogen fuel cell heavy trucks (49-ton, 200 kW) have accumulated over 1.2 million kilometers, reducing carbon emissions by 1,100 tons.

· In Guangdong, cold chain logistics has emerged as a key application. Refrigerated trucks equipped with 90 kW fuel cell systems operate over 200 km daily.

Ouyang Minggao, Chairman, International Hydrogen Fuel Cell Association (IHFCA): "We are likely at an inflection point for the hydrogen market – shifting from fuel cell deployment driving hydrogen development towards green hydrogen, in turn, propelling the integrated development of transportation and energy. Steady growth is expected over the next three to five years."

Policy Support Amplifies; Demonstration Clusters Show Results

China has intensified policy support for hydrogen FCVs in 2025, advancing the industry into a new phase of scaled development.

The National Energy Administration (NEA) recently issued a notice launching hydrogen energy pilot projects within the energy sector to bolster the full "production-storage-transportation-application" chain. Since 2021, China's Fuel Cell Vehicle Demonstration Application program has supported hydrogen industry growth through a "point-to-area" approach. This year, the Ministry of Finance and four other ministries approved six new cities – Lüliang, Dalian, Hami, Puyang, Jiyuan, and Cangzhou – to join the demonstration city clusters. As 2025 marks the program's concluding year, the hydrogen FCV market is experiencing steady growth with an increasingly mature supply chain.

Fang Haifeng, Chief Expert, China Automotive Technology and Research Center (CATARC): "A key lesson from the FCV demonstration program is that achieving cost reductions across purchase and operation requires building a complete ecological closed-loop. Initiatives like the 'Hydrogen Vehicle Long-Distance Tour' aim to accelerate the large-scale commercial operation of China's fuel cell vehicles."