Vehicles powered by hydrogen fuel cells developed by Wuhan HydraV Fuel Cell Tech Co. [Photo provided to en.whkfq.gov.cn]
A group of vehicles providing municipal public services were recently put into use in the Wuhan Economic & Technological Development Zone (WEDZ). They are all powered by hydrogen fuel cells independently developed and produced by Wuhan HydraV Fuel Cell Tech Co, which is also based in WEDZ.
The cell is able to generate power through hydrogen and oxygen, and water is the only thing emitted during the chemical reaction.
Compared with rechargeable new energy vehicles (NEVs), hydrogen energy vehicles feature fast energy refills and longer ranges and are less likely to be severely affected by seasons or weather.
The hydrogen fuel cells are currently mostly utilized in buses, sanitation vehicles and trucks, and are seldom used in private cars due to high production costs, demanding conditions needed for hydrogen making, storage and transport, and the uneven distribution of hydrogen refueling stations.
"Hydrogen engine cars are not currently directly competing with other NEVs. Instead, they are complementing each other, and have their own special uses," said Xu Yang, a director at HydraV. The hydrogen fuel cells developed by the company now boast a lifespan of 20,000 hours, which is almost the same as a regular car.
Wuhan has rolled out 16 policy measures to support the development of the hydrogen energy industry. By 2025, the total sales revenue of the industrial chain will reach 50 billion yuan ($7.17 billion). There will be about 100 enterprises operating in the field in the city, and over 35 hydrogen refueling stations will be created.
