1000km Range! FAW TRUCKS Begins Liquid Hydrogen Truck Trials in China

Panzhihua, China, Jan. 2026— FAW TRUCKS has begun public road demonstration operations of a liquid hydrogen-powered heavy-duty truck in Panzhihua, Sichuan Province, marking China’s first real-world trial of such a vehicle under open-road conditions.

The project is supported by the Panzhihua Municipal People’s Government and the Panzhihua Vanadium and Titanium High-Tech Industrial Development Zone. Development is being carried out jointly by FAW TRUCKS, the Academy of Aerospace Propulsion Technology, and Dongfang Electric (Chengdu) Hydrogen Energy Technology Co., Ltd.

The trial represents a step forward for liquid hydrogen technology in heavy-duty transport, moving it beyond laboratory testing and into real operating environments as part of broader efforts to validate its commercial potential.

The demonstration vehicle is based on FAW TRUCKS’ J6P truck platform, which has been validated over millions of kilometers in service. It is equipped with a large-capacity onboard liquid hydrogen storage and supply system developed by the aerospace sector, along with a high-power fuel cell system supplied by Dongfang Hydrogen Energy.

According to the company, the truck has so far logged more than 8,000 kilometers during the demonstration programme. It has achieved a driving range of over 1,000 kilometers on a single refueling, exceeding the typical 400–500 kilometer range of compressed hydrogen heavy trucks currently in operation in China.

The trial is supported by a civilian liquid hydrogen refueling station that began operation in Madian, Panzhihua, and is described as the country’s first to operate a closed-loop system covering hydrogen production, storage and refueling. During the demonstration, the vehicle completed liquid hydrogen refueling at temperatures as low as –253°C, with the process reported to be stable and safe.

Panzhihua’s mountainous terrain and complex road conditions have provided a demanding test environment for the truck. Throughout the operation, the vehicle has shown stable performance, offering evidence of the technical compatibility between the truck platform and the liquid hydrogen system under real-world conditions.

Industry observers see liquid hydrogen as a potential solution for long-distance, zero-emission heavy-duty transport due to its higher energy density and suitability for long-haul applications. The Panzhihua trial is the first in China to complete a full cycle from technology development through to commercial-scale road validation for a liquid hydrogen heavy truck.

FAW TRUCKS said it is working with industry partners to use data and operational experience from the demonstration to support the development of refueling procedures, safety standards and technical guidelines, which are viewed as necessary for wider adoption.

Looking ahead, the company plans to continue expanding liquid hydrogen applications across the full value chain, including production, storage, refueling, transportation and use. It is also exploring potential applications in areas such as green hydrogen-based metallurgy, vanadium and titanium materials, and hydrogen-related equipment manufacturing.

The project aligns with China’s national carbon reduction goals, as the country continues to explore alternative energy pathways for decarbonising heavy-duty transport and industrial logistics.

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