Yihuatong Partners with Pengfei Group: 350 Units of Hydrogen Commercial Vehicles Order in Lvliang Ushers in a New Chapter for Heavy Truck Manufacturing Base

On August 8, two major players in the hydrogen energy industry chain — Yihuatong and Pengfei Group — signed a strategic cooperation agreement in Lvliang, Shanxi. With an initial order of 350 hydrogen commercial vehicles (100 heavy trucks + 250 logistics vehicles), they officially launched the construction of the "National Hydrogen Energy Heavy Truck Manufacturing Base." This marks a key breakthrough for Lvliang's hydrogen energy industry, moving from technology validation to large-scale commercialization. This collaboration leverages Lvliang's inherent advantages of "by-product hydrogen from coking + heavy truck scenarios," driving the national energy revolution through a three-pronged approach of "technology + scenario + ecosystem," providing a replicable "Lvliang model" for the country.

Dual-driven by resources and scenarios, building a closed-loop industry

Xiaoyi City, Lvliang, with its annual coking capacity of 18.67 million mt, produces 4.4 billion cubic meters of coke oven gas, capable of generating 200,000 mt of low-cost hydrogen, providing a "natural hydrogen source" for the hydrogen energy industry. As a local leader, Pengfei Group has established a full-chain operation from "hydrogen production - storage and transportation - refueling - application" and, relying on a logistics network of 70,000 heavy trucks, provides a scalable implementation scenario for hydrogen vehicles. Zheng Peng, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Pengfei Group, stated: "The current period is the best window for the commercialization of the hydrogen energy industry. The resource endowment of Lvliang and the scenario advantage of Pengfei are precisely the 'test field' for technology implementation."

The first batch of 350 vehicles targets trunk and urban distribution, validating economic viability

The cooperation focuses on end-use applications as the core breakthrough point: 100 hydrogen fuel cell heavy trucks will be deployed on the coking raw material transportation trunk lines, while 250 logistics vehicles will serve the urban cold chain network. Yihuatong is responsible for providing the core technology of the fuel cell system, and Pengfei Group will build a cluster of hydrogen refueling stations and a digital operation platform. Both parties will jointly validate the economic viability of hydrogen vehicles in heavy-duty transportation. Through calculations, it has been found that the life cycle cost of hydrogen fuel cell heavy trucks is already close to that of diesel trucks, and their zero-emission advantage aligns with Lvliang's "dual carbon" goals. Guoqiang Zhang, Chairman of Yihuatong, said: "We not only need to get the vehicles running but also to make the industry chain 'come alive,' integrating the three elements of 'coking hydrogen source - heavy truck manufacturing - logistics finance' to form a closed loop."

Collaboration among government, industry, academia, and research, with academicians supporting industrial upgrading

The signing ceremony attracted representatives from the political, business, and academic sectors, including Academician Minggao Ouyang of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xiongyizhi, Deputy Secretary of the Lvliang Municipal Committee and Mayor. Ouyang pointed out: "Lvliang's exploration provides a textbook case for the commercialization of hydrogen in the heavy truck sector." The local government has clearly stated that it will provide policy support in areas such as the construction of hydrogen refueling stations and vehicle promotion, accelerating the establishment of the "manufacturing base." Notably, Yihuatong and Pengfei Group have partnered with research institutions like Tsinghua University to tackle key technologies such as low-temperature startup and long-life stacks, and are simultaneously participating in the formulation of industry standards for hydrogen-powered heavy trucks, reinforcing their technological barriers.

From Lvliang to the Nation, Pioneering an Energy Revolution Demonstration

This collaboration not only marks a breakthrough in a single order but also signals a "turning point" for the commercialization of hydrogen-powered heavy trucks. With the first batch of vehicles scheduled for delivery by the end of 2025, Lvliang will establish an operational network featuring a "fleet of thousands of hydrogen-powered trucks + 10 hydrogen refueling stations," with an expected annual carbon reduction exceeding 500,000 mt. Guoqiang Zhang revealed, "The core of the Lvliang model is to leverage the cost advantages of by-product hydrogen from coking, combined with the high-frequency use in logistics scenarios, to shift hydrogen from 'policy-driven' to 'market-driven.'" This model is attracting attention from regions such as Inner Mongolia and Xinjiang, and it is poised to become the "standard solution" for energy transition in resource-based cities.