China to favour hydrogen for trucking

Better performance of fuel-cell vehicles compared with battery-electric models in colder weather is a significant advantage for hydrogen technology

Hydrogen will make gains in China’s long-haul trucking sector in the long run as fleet operators turn to fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) to complement their battery-electric counterparts in colder regions and for heavy-loading applications. FCEV sales in China are forecast to double from 3,000 units this year to 7,000 next year, before doubling again to 14,000 in 2024 and reaching 80,000 in 2030, according to recent projections from domestic trade association the China Hydrogen Alliance and Swiss bank Credit Suisse. There will be two main drivers for the uptake of heavy-duty FCEVs: cheaper hydrogen at the pump as the cost of producing green hydrogen declines and the efficiency of refuell