I.Frontier Focus: Hydrogen is here, and the bus industry is ushering in an energy revolution
In June 2023, 30 Dongfeng Special Vehicle Hydrogen Fuel Cell Buses were officially delivered to Hubei Wuhan Public Transport Group, launching the largest-scale hydrogen energy bus demonstration operation in China. According to the announcement data of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Dongfeng Special Vehicle EST6750FCEV fuel cell bus has become China’s first hydrogen energy bus product certified by the EU WVTA with its ultra-long range of 550km and low-temperature starting capability of -30℃, marking that China’s hydrogen energy technology has officially opened the door to the global high-end market.
II.Technical Decryption: Dongfeng Special Automobile’s Core Technology of Hydrogen Energy
- Three-layer Hydrogen Protection System
Using 70MPa high-pressure hydrogen storage tank, the strength of the carbon fiber winding layer exceeds the aviation standard. The original “hydrogen-electric-heat” collaborative management system achieves millisecond-level cutoff of hydrogen leakage, and its safety has been certified by Germany’s TÜV.
- Super strong environmental adaptability
The second-generation proton exchange membrane fuel cell stack independently developed has a power density of 4.2kW/L. Equipped with an intelligent exhaust gas deicing system, the startup success rate reached 100% in the severe cold test in Harbin.
- Breakthrough in the cost of the entire life cycle
By increasing the life of the stack to 25,000 hours (exceeding the EU 2030 standard), combined with a hydrogen consumption of only 8kg per 100 kilometers, the operating cost is reduced by 41% compared with diesel vehicles.
III.Global Track: Dongfeng Special Vehicle’s International Strategic Layout
- European market breakthrough
In early 2024, the first batch of 20 Dongfeng hydrogen buses arrived in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, to participate in the EU’s “Hydrogen Mobility Corridor” plan. Its 5G intelligent monitoring system can remotely diagnose the status of fuel cells and meet the requirements of the EU REDⅡ renewable energy directive.
- Green arteries of the Belt and Road Initiative
During the construction of the new city of NEOM in Saudi Arabia, Dongfeng signed an order for 200 hydrogen-powered commuter vehicles with a local company, and built a mobile hydrogen production and refueling station to create a new model for the application of hydrogen energy in desert areas.
IV.Industry Overview: Policy-driven trillion-dollar market explosion
According to Bloomberg New Energy Finance:
- The global hydrogen fuel cell vehicle market will exceed $42 billion in 2025
- China has laid out the construction of “hydrogen corridors” in 16 provinces and cities
- The EU carbon tariff mechanism will increase the export cost advantage of hydrogen vehicles by 23%
Dongfeng Special Automobile and the State Energy Group have jointly created a “manufacturing, storage, transportation and use” full industrial chain ecosystem, which is building export solutions from parts to complete vehicles.
V.Objective viewpoint: global opportunities for hydrogen buses
“While Tesla is promoting pure electric vehicles in the passenger car sector, Chinese commercial vehicles are choosing the hydrogen energy track to overtake. Dongfeng Special Vehicle’s practice has proven that hydrogen fuel cells have irreplaceable advantages in the heavy-duty field with a range of more than 300 kilometers and fast energy replenishment within 20 minutes. This is exactly the strategic breakthrough for foreign trade companies.”
VI.Visualization of environmental benefits
- Three indicators of diesel buses: carbon emissions of 1.3kg/km, energy efficiency of 35%; noise level of 78 decibels.
- Three indicators of Dongfeng hydrogen buses: carbon emissions of 0kg/km, energy efficiency of 55%; noise level of 62 decibels.
- In contrast, Dongfeng hydrogen buses reduce carbon emissions by 100% and increase energy efficiency by 57% compared to traditional diesel buses; noise decibels are reduced by 20%.
VI.Conclusion: Welcome the new era of hydrogen economy
Dongfeng Special Automobile has invested 8% of its annual revenue in research and development, and has built a wall of 246 core patents covering fuel cell systems, electric drive axles, and vehicle controllers. As global logistics companies are forced to transform due to carbon tariffs, this batch of buses equipped with “Chinese hydrogen cores” are becoming a benchmark for technology export in the foreign trade track.
