Jinxin Breaks the Ice! Shanxi's First 165kW Hydrogen Fuel Cell Engine Rolls Off the Production Line, Achieving a 500-Kilometer Driving Range at -30℃, Breaking Through in Cold-Weather Transportation

On August 5, at the "Jinchuang Valley·Shuozhou" industrial park on the Jinbei Plateau, with the completion of the final process on the automated production line, Shanxi's first independently developed 165kW hydrogen fuel cell engine officially rolled off the production line. Dubbed the "Power Heart for Cold Regions" by the industry, this green equipment not only fills the gap in large-power hydrogen-electric systems in northern China but also marks a critical leap for Shanxi's hydrogen energy sector from laboratory research to industrialisation, boasting a robust capability of 500 km stable driving range at -30°C.

In the smart workshop of Shuozhou Wenjing Energy Technology Co., Ltd., this silver rectangular device is undergoing final performance verification. Its core membrane electrode employs low-platinum technology (platinum loading: 0.15g/cm²), reducing precious metal usage by 60% compared to traditional methods. Coupled with 44% rated efficiency and 60% peak efficiency, hydrogen-powered heavy trucks equipped with this system consume only 10 kg of hydrogen per 100 km under full-load conditions of 49 mt. Notably, through a multi-integrated controller and intelligent thermal management system, the engine achieves self-heating startup in just 30 seconds at -30°C—equivalent to a driver in Mohe starting the vehicle within half a minute on a frigid winter morning.

"This is not merely a product launch but a 'zero to one' breakthrough for Shanxi's hydrogen energy industry chain," explained Li Yajun, director of the Shuozhou Dual-Carbon Industry Research Institute. Since establishing a joint laboratory with Shanghai Jiao Tong University in December 2024, the R&D team has overcome seven technical challenges, including low-temperature backfire detonation and thermal management imbalance in hydrogen-electric systems. The current smart production line, with an annual capacity of 500 units, achieves a daily average output of 3 units. Over its life cycle, each engine reduces carbon emissions by over 2,000 mt, equivalent to the annual carbon sequestration of 15,000 hectares of grassland.

Technological breakthroughs are rapidly translating into real-world applications. During the launch ceremony, Shuozhou's Pinglu District initiated construction of three hydrogen refueling stations and signed vehicle integration agreements with six companies, including Sany Heavy Truck and Skyworth Auto. According to the plan, the first batch of hydrogen-powered heavy trucks equipped with this system will enter Shuozhou's mining areas in September, handling coal transportation over a 40 km round trip with just 50 kg of hydrogen per vehicle. In October, the province's first hydrogen bus demonstration route will commence operations, with buses shuttling between Pinglu and Shuozhou East Station in winter temperatures of -25°C, offering a driving range exceeding 400 km.

"Our goal is to make 'Shuozhou Hydrogen Core' the standard for cold-region transport," said Cai Jun, the company's chairman, pointing to the test platform in the workshop. The second-generation 180kW system is now undergoing bench testing, with hydrogen consumption expected to drop by another 15% through optimized MEA formulation. With the preparation and launch of the second-phase production line capable of producing 5,000 units annually, this hydrogen energy enterprise rooted in northern Shanxi is driving the localization of the entire "production-storage-transportation-utilization" chain with an annual R&D investment of 30%—from green hydrogen production in coal-producing regions to zero-carbon transportation of heavy-duty trucks in mines, and then to the clean replacement of urban buses. A hydrogen energy application corridor with Shanxi characteristics is taking shape.

When the first off-line engine was hoisted onto the test vehicle, the driving range displayed on the dashboard was fixed at 503 kilometers. This figure not only represents a breakthrough in technical parameters but also embodies the concrete expression of the energy revolution—in Shanxi, a major coal-producing province, the once black energy artery is being reactivated by the blue power of hydrogen energy. With the large-scale application of hydrogen-electric systems in scenarios such as mines, buses, and logistics, Shanxi is making significant strides in its "dual carbon" goals.