FAW Jiefang's Liquid Hydrogen Heavy-Duty Truck Launches China's First Public Road Demonstration Operation, Driving Range Exceeds 1,000 Kilometers, Setting a Record

Recently, the J6P Liquid Hydrogen Tractor Truck, jointly developed by FAW Jiefang, the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology (the Sixth Academy of Aerospace), and Dongfang Electric (Chengdu) Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd., successfully initiated the first domestic real-vehicle public road demonstration operation in Panzhihua Vanadium-Titanium High-Tech Zone, marking the transition of China's liquid hydrogen heavy-duty truck technology from the laboratory to real-world road conditions and achieving full-chain integration from technology R&D to commercial validation.

This liquid hydrogen heavy-duty truck integrates FAW Jiefang's proven J6P platform, validated over millions of kilometers, the aerospace "Race Track 1000" 100-kg-class onboard liquid hydrogen storage and supply system, and Dongfang Hydrogen Energy's high-power fuel cell system. As of now, the vehicle has undergone over 8,000 kilometers of real-world operational testing, with a driving range exceeding 1,000 kilometers, setting a new domestic record for the driving range of hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks. This demonstration operation leveraged the Panzhihua Madian Liquid Hydrogen Refueling Station, which commenced operations concurrently, achieving breakthroughs in several core technologies.

Four Core Breakthroughs Lay a Solid Foundation for the Industry

Breakthrough 1: Ultra-Long Driving Range Alleviates Range Anxiety. The vehicle is equipped with a 100-kg-class liquid hydrogen tank, achieving a driving range of over 1,000 kilometers under real-world conditions. This represents more than a twofold increase compared to the 400-500 kilometer range of mainstream gaseous hydrogen heavy-duty trucks, with hydrogen consumption of only 8 kg per 100 kilometers. The empirical data provides robust support for the application of liquid hydrogen technology in long-distance, zero-carbon transportation by heavy-duty trucks, directly addressing a core bottleneck in the industry's electrification transition.

Breakthrough 2: The First Civilian Liquid Hydrogen Refueling Station Overcomes Infrastructure Barriers. The Panzhihua Madian Refueling Station, as the nation's first civilian site to achieve a closed-loop for the entire chain of liquid hydrogen "production, storage, and refueling," has a total investment of 83 million yuan. It is capable of refueling 500 kg of liquid hydrogen per day and features the country's first "pipeline hydrogen delivery + parent-child hydrogen refueling" system. The vehicle successfully completed safe refueling with ultra-low-temperature (-253°C) liquid hydrogen, marking China's mastery of the full-process refueling and operational technology for civilian liquid hydrogen.

Breakthrough 3: High Reliability Verified in Complex Environments. Leveraging the natural test site of Panzhihua's mountainous terrain and harsh road conditions, the vehicle operated smoothly, fully validating the high compatibility between FAW Jiefang's heavy-duty truck chassis and the aerospace liquid hydrogen storage and supply system. Its stability in real-world scenarios instills confidence for market promotion.

Breakthrough 4: Government-Industry-Academia-Research-Application Collaboration Creates a Demonstration Model. An innovation consortium comprising FAW Jiefang, Dongfang Electric, the Sixth Academy of Aerospace, and the Panzhihua Municipal Government has established a collaborative model involving "leading enterprises + research institutes + local governments," integrating elements from the entire industry chain. This model will provide replicable experience for the national hydrogen energy industry ecosystem construction, helping Panzhihua build a hydrogen energy industrial cluster with an annual output value exceeding 10 billion yuan.

As the "ultimate solution" for long-distance, zero-carbon heavy-duty truck transportation, liquid hydrogen, with its advantages of high hydrogen storage density and cost-effective storage and transportation, is expected to fundamentally overcome the challenges of electrifying heavy-duty trucks. In the future, the project team will work to translate practical experience into industry standards and expand diverse application scenarios, such as green hydrogen metallurgy and vanadium-titanium synthesis, contributing to the achievement of the "dual carbon" goals.