Shanghai (ZXZC)- Guangdong province will strive to achieve the demonstration of its first hydrogen fuel cell passenger vehicles (PVs) in 2022, according to the Implementation Plan on Accelerating the Development of Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicle Industry released by the Guangdong Provincial Development and Reform Commission on Nov. 12.

Aion LX; photo credit: GAC Group

Under the Plan, hydrogen fuel cell PVs will be put into pilot operation in a timely manner in such regions as Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone.

Guangdong will speed up the promotion of hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicles (CVs) and special vehicles including heavy-duty trucks, mid-/long-distance logistics vehicles and trucks for port transport. Hydrogen transportation corridors connecting Guangzhou-Shenzhen, Guangzhou-Zhuhai and Shenzhen-Shenshan Special Cooperation Zone will be constructed in the near future.

To boost the scale application of hydrogen fuel cell logistics vehicles, fuel cell vehicle (FCV) manufacturers will be encouraged to work with local leading logistics companies, and procure materials and auto parts in bulk by building FCV-focused operational platforms, so as to slash the FCV purchase cost for consumers.

According to the newly-launched plan, Guangdong will forcefully foster a sound industrial chain related to hydrogen FCVs. To achieve the goal, authorities will move faster on integrating relevant industrial resources, build demonstration zones for FCV industry development in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, make breakthroughs in the R&D and commercialization of FCV-related core technologies, and set up an independent and controllable FCV industrial chain that boasts advanced technologies.

In addition, local developers and suppliers of fuel cell system, fuel cell stack and membrane electrode will be encouraged to strengthen cooperation and fasten the development of proprietary high-performance hydrogen fuel cell stacks so as to achieve volume production.

Relying on self-developed products like membrane electrode, fuel cell stack and system, the government will support local leading firms in hammering out the development plan of hydrogen fuel cell PVs and expects the fuel cell PVs with proprietary core technologies to be developed by 2020.