Sustainable Powertrains in China’s Heavy-Duty Vehicle Sector: Assessing the Role of Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engines in a Green Future

Addressing global warming necessitates reducing transportation emissions, particularly in China, where efforts toward decarbonization remain inadequate. Pollution from heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs) continues to increase due to the widespread use of internal combustion engines (ICEs), despite governmental initiatives aimed at promoting battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCVs). Presently, hydrogen internal combustion engines (H2ICEs) demonstrate potential as viable alternatives to conventional engines. This review compares and analyzes the aforementioned new energy heavy-duty vehicle (NEHDV) powertrain technologies, specifically within the context of current hydrogen infrastructure developments in China, to determine whether H2ICEs could offer an economically viable pathway toward decarbonizing the Chinese HDV sector. This study found that BEVs and HFCVs encounter obstacles in specific HDV applications due to issues related to battery weight, range, durability, and cost. These challenges contribute to the slow growth of the NEHDV market in China. Conversely, H2ICEs present advantages such as enhanced efficiency at high loads, improved durability, and lightweight fuel storage. These attributes position H2ICE as a competitive and sustainable option, particularly in scenarios where previous powertrain technologies are inadequate. Additionally, H2ICE can capitalize on China’s regional green hydrogen production capacity and the existing ICE supply chains, thereby facilitating a quicker and less resource-intensive energy transition in the HDV sector. Nonetheless, the economic viability and greenhouse gases (GHG) reduction potential of H2ICE still depend heavily on future advances in green hydrogen infrastructure. Finally, this paper recommends comprehensive real-world evaluations of H2ICE HDVs to substantiate their effectiveness.