Ouyang Liquid Hydrogen Tank Empowers Proton "Yao Ling II" Liquid Hydrogen Heavy Truck to Open a New Chapter in Unmanned Freight Transport

On August 13, at the Shanghai New International Expo Center, Proton Motors, with the theme of "Yao Bian: A New Era," officially launched its new generation of unmanned freight concept heavy truck, "Yao Ling II." This flagship car model, which focuses on trunk logistics, is the first to be equipped with Ouyang Technology's self-developed "Qing Niao No. 1" liquid hydrogen cylinder. With a top-tier hydrogen storage density of 10wt% and ultra-low temperature insulation technology at -253°C, it breaks through the industry's 300-kilometer application radius for hydrogen-powered heavy trucks, marking a key turning point for China's hydrogen commercial vehicles from scenario validation to large-scale commercialization.

Liquid Hydrogen Technology Breaks Through, Redefining Energy Logic in Trunk Logistics

Compared to the gaseous hydrogen heavy truck "Yao Ling I" launched in 2023, the biggest innovation of "Yao Ling II" lies in the "liquid revolution" of its power system. The "Qing Niao No. 1" liquid hydrogen cylinder, developed by Ouyang Technology over five years, uses a lightweight carbon fiber winding structure and multi-layer vacuum insulation technology to increase the hydrogen storage density to 2.5 times that of gaseous storage. Coupled with an ultra-large capacity design of 150L, it enables the vehicle's driving range to exceed 1,000 kilometers — this figure directly covers long-distance scenarios such as coal transportation in the northwest and cold chain distribution in the northeast, solving the long-standing industry pain points of "hydrogen refueling difficulties and range anxiety." Su Wei, President of Ouyang Technology, revealed that the daily evaporation rate of the cylinder is controlled within 0.3%, and it can still operate stably under extreme conditions at -40°C. "We have completed 3,000 cycle tests on the 800-kilometer trunk route from Ordos to Yulin, verifying the all-weather reliability of the liquid hydrogen system."

Unmanned Freight + Liquid Hydrogen Power, Creating a Dual Engine for Cost Reduction and Efficiency Improvement

As the core carrier of Proton Motors' "Unmanned Freight 2.0," "Yao Ling II" adopts a dynamic scheduling mode of "mother vehicle carrying child vehicles," compressing the traditional three empty return trips into one vehicle carrying two, combined with the low energy consumption characteristics of the liquid hydrogen system, calculations show that the life cycle cost is reduced by 28% compared to diesel vehicles. In a demonstration at a Chongqing logistics park, after unloading, "Yao Ling II" can automatically identify empty vehicles, and through the coordination of air suspension and dynamic wind deflectors, safely complete the carriage at a speed of ≤5km/h without any human intervention. This "zero empty load + zero carbon emission" combination is the best fit for the "coking hydrogen source + trunk logistics" scenario in resource-based cities like Lvliang and Yulin.

Seven Years of Deep Cultivation in Technology, Ouyang Strengthens Its Moat in Liquid Hydrogen Equipment

Behind this collaboration is Ouyang Technology's long-term accumulation in the field of hydrogen storage and transportation. Since laying out its hydrogen business in 2017, this national-level specialized, refined, unique, and innovative "little giant" enterprise has successively broken through the fully automatic production line for Type III cylinders and the plastic liner forming technology for Type IV cylinders, becoming one of the few domestic companies that simultaneously master the core technologies of both gaseous and liquid hydrogen storage. The "Kunpeng 2000" hydrogen production equipment, released in 2023, has provided low-cost green hydrogen for the Northwest Hydrogen Corridor. The deployment of "Qingniao 1" marks a strategic extension from the "hydrogen production end" to the "application end." Zheng Zhaolong, Deputy General Manager of Aoyang Technology, stated: "The pressure of liquid hydrogen tanks is only 1/70th that of gaseous tanks, and with over 200 sensors providing real-time monitoring, the risk of accidents is reduced by 70%. This is precisely the core safety requirement for trunk logistics."

Scene data feedback, Proton constructs an unmanned freight ecosystem

Proton Motors' ambitions extend beyond single-vehicle technology. Leveraging the scene data from Shaanxi Auto Group's 70,000 traditional commercial vehicles, its "point-to-point" intelligent driving system has accumulated over 2 million kilometers of trunk route driving data, covering complex conditions such as tunnels and plateaus. Li Man, Deputy General Manager, revealed that the autonomous driving algorithm of "Yao Ling II" can identify blurry lane markings 100 meters away. In practical tests at the Yangquan mine in Shanxi, it maintained a 99.9% obstacle recognition rate even under nighttime heavy rain conditions. This "scene defines technology" approach is attracting intelligent driving enterprises like Superstar Future and Youjia Innovation to join the ecosystem, collectively refining the "vehicle-road-cloud integration" solution.

From concept to reality, ushering in a new era of zero-carbon logistics

With the first batch of 50 "Yao Ling II" vehicles scheduled for delivery to the Northwest trunk routes in Q1 2026, Aoyang Technology is simultaneously setting up liquid hydrogen refueling stations in Yulin and Ordos, planning to form an operational network of "a fleet of 1,000 vehicles + 50 liquid hydrogen stations" by 2027. Wang Zhao, Chairman of Proton Motors, frankly stated: "Lvliang's coke oven hydrogen, Shaanxi's trunk route scenarios, and Aoyang's liquid hydrogen equipment together form a 'resource-technology-application' closed loop. This is not just a simple product launch; it is the 'standard answer' for the commercialization of China's hydrogen-powered heavy trucks."

This revolution in unmanned freight driven by liquid hydrogen technology is reshaping the energy and efficiency logic of the logistics industry. As the hydrogen engines of "Yao Ling II" roar onto the road, they carry not only goods but also the green future of China's transition from a "manufacturing powerhouse" to an "energy superpower."