Amidst the global wave of energy structural adjustment, hydrogen energy, as a key clean energy source for achieving carbon neutrality, is accelerating its transition from strategic planning to industrial practice.

On January 1, 2025, the Energy Law of the People's Republic of China officially came into effect, incorporating hydrogen energy into the national energy management system for the first time. This legally establishes hydrogen energy as a "core component of energy" and lays a solid foundation for the standardized development of the hydrogen energy industry.

Guided by the national top-level design, the application of hydrogen energy at the local level is accelerating. On April 1, the Beijing Municipal Energy Work Plan for 2025 was officially issued, proposing to focus on promoting the large-scale application of hydrogen energy in the transportation sector. At the same time, six cities including Hami in Xinjiang and Lüliang in Shanxi have newly joined the national hydrogen fuel cell vehicle demonstration urban agglomeration, planning to achieve the promotion goal of over 4,000 fuel cell vehicles by 2025, forming an industrial pattern with policy and market synergy.

As a pioneer in the field of hydrogen fuel buses, Ankai, relying on its profound technical accumulation over two decades, is accelerating towards the "fast lane" of industrial development.

Two Decades of Deep Cultivation

Ankai Takes the Lead in Breaking New Ground

As early as 2004, Ankai began to initiate research and development of hydrogen fuel bus technology and product layout. Leveraging two national-level scientific research platforms, the National Engineering Research Center for Electric Bus System Integration and the Postdoctoral Research Workstation, Ankai has established an integrated "industry-university-research-application" research and development system.

In 2017, Ankai undertook the major science and technology project of Anhui Province, "Research and Development and Demonstration Application of Hydrogen Fuel Cell City Buses." By overcoming multiple technical difficulties, it developed long-life hydrogen fuel buses suitable for various environments and operating conditions, successfully opening up the transformation channel from laboratory to commercial operation for hydrogen fuel buses.

Currently, Ankai has formed a full series of hydrogen fuel bus products ranging from 8 to 12 meters. It has achieved breakthrough innovations in vehicle system integration, electric drive systems, vehicle control, intelligent networking, and other technologies. The operating mileage of a single vehicle has exceeded 3 million kilometers, equivalent to circling the Earth more than seven times, fully verifying the long-term reliability of the products.

Deepening Scene Implementation

Creating a Benchmark for "Zero" Carbon Travel

The ultimate value of technological breakthroughs lies in their refinement in real-world scenarios. In 2019, the first batch of Ankai 8.5-meter hydrogen fuel buses were put into operation on the Lu'an City Bus Line 301, becoming the first hydrogen energy bus demonstration line in Anhui Province and playing a positive demonstration role in promoting hydrogen energy transportation throughout the province.

In light of the vehicles' excellent operational performance, Lu'an City continued to expand the deployment of Ankai hydrogen fuel buses in 2020 and 2024. Today, Ankai hydrogen fuel buses are widely used on bus routes 18, 21, and 301, significantly enhancing the environmental protection level of Lu'an City's urban public transportation system and becoming a benchmark for regional hydrogen energy applications.

The demonstration operations and continuous promotion in Lu'an City have provided mature experience for the development of hydrogen energy buses in Hefei City. In January 2024, Hefei City opened its first hydrogen energy bus demonstration line, with 23 Ankai hydrogen fuel buses put into operation. The deployment of these vehicles has complemented the types of new energy vehicles in Hefei, helping the city move towards becoming a "new energy vehicle capital" with global influence.

Long-term operational practices have allowed Ankai buses to continuously optimize and enhance their technical levels in real road conditions. At the same time, Ankai hydrogen fuel buses have also formed a virtuous cycle of "research and development - implementation - optimization" through continuous deepening of scenario operations. Currently, nearly 60 Ankai hydrogen fuel buses are in operation in Anhui Province every day. In the complex road conditions of Hefei and Lu'an, Ankai hydrogen fuel buses achieve efficient and green operations, winning a good market reputation for their power, economy, and comfort, and becoming a practical example of hydrogen energy "zero" carbon bus demonstration operations.

Continuous Product Advancements

Building Momentum for the Future of Hydrogen Energy Transportation

From the laboratory to the streets, Ankai buses have always been market-oriented, continuously promoting product performance improvements and building core competitive advantages. Facing the high-frequency operational characteristics of urban public transportation, Ankai has developed a 10-minute rapid hydrogen refueling technology, coupled with a 400-kilometer ultra-long endurance capability, fully meeting the high-intensity and high-efficiency transportation needs of urban public transportation. Aiming at the pain points of aging travel and intelligent trends, Ankai buses have reshaped the public travel experience through multiple technologies such as a fully low-floor structure and intelligent driving assistance systems, achieving dual improvements in barrier-free access and safety warnings.

While pursuing efficiency and experience, safety remains an insurmountable bottom line. To ensure vehicle operation safety, Ankai buses have constructed a multi-dimensional safety protection system including hydrogen leakage monitoring, hydrogen accumulation prevention, and evacuation and dilution, fully protecting drivers and passengers.

Currently, Ankai buses continue to deepen technological innovation and research and development. Through comprehensive upgrades at the material, stack, and system levels, they enhance product durability and safety reliability, significantly reducing vehicle operating costs. Through material innovation and system optimization, the hydrogen consumption of Ankai hydrogen fuel buses is as low as 4 kilograms per 100 kilometers, leading the domestic market in energy consumption performance.

Supported by technological innovation and taking scenario deepening as the path, Ankai continuously enhances the competitiveness of hydrogen fuel bus products and optimizes product system construction. Against the backdrop of the deepening of the national hydrogen energy strategy and the expansion of local demonstration urban agglomerations, Ankai hydrogen fuel buses have become a preferred solution for the green transformation of urban transportation with their three major advantages of "high efficiency, low hydrogen consumption, and strong intelligence."

Source : www.chinabuses.org

Editor : Isabella

Views：1856