In a recent LinkedIn post, Ballard’s Vice President for Marketing and Strategic Partnerships shared some eye-opening insights into the rapid deployment of hydrogen mobility in China—echoing observations previously made by Hy24 Partners.
A simple flight to Shanghai is enough to see how Europe may be getting it wrong by relying solely on batteries. Nicolas Pocard travelled to China to attend a Hydrogen Council business forum, and as a key representative of Ballard, he has a front-row view of global developments in clean mobility. His conclusion: the scale of hydrogen adoption in China is nothing short of impressive.
China is checking all the right boxes. It is leading globally in hydrogen production, electrolyser capacity, low-carbon hydrogen initiatives, and the deployment of fuel cell vehicles. The numbers speak for themselves: 28,000 fuel cell vehicles are currently on the road, including 15,000 buses and lorries—figures that would be a dream scenario for most other markets.
Hydrogen as a Complement to Batteries
While China is also a global leader in battery technology—accounting for over 50% of electric vehicle sales—it clearly sees hydrogen as a vital complement. The government views this dual approach as essential for full decarbonisation. Accordingly, China continues to invest in technological development, hydrogen production, and fuel cell vehicle rollouts.
By scaling up production capacity, Chinese manufacturers are also managing to bring down costs—a critical factor in wider adoption.
In a more pragmatic move than many European countries, China is building out its hydrogen infrastructure using whatever hydrogen is available, regardless of colour. As of now, there are 545 hydrogen refuelling stations across the country, many of which serve heavy-duty vehicles and dispense more than one tonne of hydrogen per day.
Over time, the country plans to transition these systems to green hydrogen. Thanks to a mix of increasing production scale and generous government subsidies, hydrogen in China could soon be sold at the pump for as little as $5 to $7 per kilogram—a price point that currently seems unattainable in Europe.
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