The main supporter of the development of transport on hydrogen fuel cells is considered to be the Japanese corporation Toyota Motor, while three quarters of the passenger segment of this market has already been occupied by the Korean Hyundai Motor. She is going to keep the leading positions until 2025, at least. The Chinese concern Great Wall will release its first “hydrogen car” this year.

Great Wall is China’s largest crossover manufacturer. According to Bloomberg, the company intends to offer its first model based on hydrogen fuel cells by the end of this year. As a publicity stunt, cars of this type will be allowed to serve the 2022 Winter Olympics.

Over the past five years, the company has invested $ 305 million in the development of technologies that make it possible to transfer not only road transport, but also rail and sea transport to the use of hydrogen fuel cells. By 2025, Great Wall expects to become one of the three world leaders in sales of hydrogen fuel cell passenger cars. Unlike battery electric vehicles, they can restore a range of several hundred kilometers in a matter of minutes. For heavy vehicles, they provide a greater range than battery power plants. The Chinese authorities are also paying great attention to the development of hydrogen-fueled freight and urban passenger transport. The PRC expects to increase the number of vehicles on hydrogen fuel cells up to 1 million units by the end of this decade.

The Great Wall is not alone in its ambitions. SAIC plans to bring at least ten hydrogen fuel cell models to market over the next five years, and by mid-decade it hopes to have 10% of the home market. The main problem in the development of this type of transport is still the high cost of production, transportation and storage of hydrogen.