Weichai Power Leads National Key R&D Program on Hydrogen Engines, Achieves Critical Breakthrough

Weichai Power, leading a national key R&D program titled "Key Technologies for Dedicated Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines for Heavy-Duty Commercial Hybrid Vehicles," has achieved significant progress. This project marks China's first national key R&D initiative in the field of hydrogen internal combustion engines. Joint testing and validation conducted in Beijing and Weifang confirmed that the engine achieves a peak brake thermal efficiency of 46.8%—the highest level reported globally to date. The engine delivers 580 horsepower and 2,750 N·m of torque, with an 8% improvement in transient response speed compared to conventional diesel engines. Moreover, even with a simplified after-treatment system, it demonstrates the potential to meet China's upcoming National VII emission standards. The project has already surpassed its anticipated targets ahead of schedule in the three core performance metrics—power output, fuel economy, and environmental friendliness—placing the engine among the world’s leading hydrogen internal combustion engines.