On the morning of August 25th, a fleet of 56 hydrogen-powered fuel cell tractors, each with a 49-ton capacity, lined up neatly at the Pidu Gucheng toll station on Chengdu's Second Ring Expressway. The "Hydrogen Truck Journey" logo emblazoned on their bodies gleamed brightly under the morning sun, marking the official launch of the "Hydrogen Truck Journey" initiative by Sichuan Shunan Investment Management Co., a subsidiary of Chengdu-Chongqing Company under the Shudao Group.

These hydrogen trucks are tasked with a dedicated mission: transporting phosphate concentrate from mining sites in Jinkouhe and Mabian in Leshan to the phosphate chemical production base in Shifang. Since their trial run began last November, the fleet has logged over 2.71 million kilometers and moved roughly 110,000 tons of cargo.

The round trip from Jinkouhe and Mabian to Shifang covers about 700 kilometers. Given that the hydrogen heavy-duty trucks have a range of around 500 kilometers, they require a single refueling stop at one of the hydrogen stations in Xindu or Pidu, Chengdu. When analyzing the cost structure, these hydrogen trucks show slightly higher energy consumption per kilometer compared to electric vehicles, and even with subsidies, their purchase price remains above that of traditional diesel trucks.

So why the push for hydrogen trucks? The answer lies not only in the global and domestic shift toward clean energy but also in Sichuan's unique resource advantages and strategic industrial considerations.

Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, with their superior range and lighter weight, are naturally suited for medium-to-long-haul freight, mining operations, and cold-chain logistics—exactly the applications most needed in Sichuan's freight system. Since kicking off its hydrogen industrialization efforts in 2017, Sichuan has been piloting fuel cell vehicles as a leading application. The province has built the Chengdu-Chongqing "Hydrogen Corridor," established the western region's first hydrogen bus and heavy-duty truck demonstration lines, and set up its first hydrogen refueling station and integrated hydrogen production-refueling facility. These efforts have linked the "Panxi-Ya-Cheng" and "Cheng-Mian-Guang" green hydrogen routes, laying a solid foundation for large-scale adoption.

Sichuan's confidence in developing hydrogen freight is largely rooted in its strengths as a clean energy powerhouse. As the province with the highest installed hydropower capacity in China, Sichuan enjoys natural advantages in producing green hydrogen via electrolysis powered by hydroelectricity. Currently, the terminal hydrogen price in Chengdu is around 30 yuan per kilogram, which is not yet economically competitive with diesel or pure electric options. However, industry experts generally believe that if the hydrogen price can drop below 25 yuan, the full lifecycle cost of hydrogen heavy-duty trucks could directly compete with their diesel counterparts.

Policy support is also intensifying. Sichuan has rolled out supporting measures for hydrogen vehicle purchases, creating a fairly comprehensive policy framework. According to an official from the Sichuan Provincial Department of Transport, the province has implemented free access to the entire "hydrogen highway" network. For the Mabian, Jinkouhe to Shifang route, a round trip saves approximately 900 yuan in toll fees. To date, Sichuan has deployed 1,600 hydrogen vehicles and built 25 hydrogen refueling stations, leading the western region in demonstration scale.

An official from the Sichuan Provincial Department of Economy and Information Technology stated that the province will further accelerate the adoption of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, aiming to add more than 500 new units this year. Additionally, Sichuan plans to expand applications into areas such as hydrogen metallurgy, hydrogen-ammonia-methanol integration, hydrogen chemicals, hydrogen-powered rail transit, hydrogen-powered two-wheelers, natural gas blending with hydrogen combustion, plateau multi-energy supply, hydrogen drones, distributed power, and emergency support, positioning itself as a comprehensive hydrogen application hub.