Qingling M600 debuts: Hong Kong's first hydrogen truck offers over 500 km pure hydrogen range

Qingling Motors showcased its latest hydrogen fuel-cell commercial vehicle at a hydrogen fuel-cell commercial vehicle demonstration and policy exchange event held at Hong Kong Science Park on 8 September.

During the event, Qingling representatives introduced the Hydrogen Fuel Cell Heavy-duty Vehicle Trial Subsidy Scheme, discussing its implementation and progress. The company also displayed its M600 hydrogen fuel-cell truck.

M600 hydrogen truck

At first glance, the M600 looks much like a conventional light-duty truck. Behind the cab, however, it carries three 165-litre hydrogen tanks.

With a full load and at a constant speed, the truck has a claimed hydrogen range of 501 km. It also has a 47.69 kWh battery, which provides a further 50 km of electric range under the same conditions.

One of the main advantages of a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle over a battery EV is refuelling time. Filling the hydrogen tanks takes only a few minutes.

Running costs are another area where the M600 has an advantage over a diesel truck. Based on figures from Qingling's official website and Hong Kong fuel prices on 8 September, Qingling estimates that the M600 costs around HK$0.90 per kilometre to run, based on hydrogen consumption of 2.6 kg/100km.

For a truck covering 100,000 km a year, that works out at a potential annual saving of more than HK$650,000 compared with a diesel truck, which costs around HK$7.44 per kilometre based on a diesel price of HK$36.83 per litre.

The M600 does have a higher upfront cost, including its purchase price, but the lower running cost could make the economics more attractive over a longer period.

The M600 uses a Bosch drive system, with 160 kW of maximum power and 950 Nm of torque. Payload is rated at 3,305 kg, or 2,995 kg for the refrigerated version.

Those figures are fairly typical for the segment, and hydrogen refuelling is certainly quicker than charging a battery EV. For operators, however, the more immediate question is where to refuel.

Hong Kong currently has just one publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling station, located on Kam Tin Road in Au Tau, Yuen Long. That is considerably less convenient than the network of petrol stations available to conventional commercial vehicles.

The government and several companies are expected to work on pilot projects to expand the hydrogen refuelling infrastructure. If that network develops as planned, hydrogen fuel-cell trucks could become a more practical option for Hong Kong's logistics and transport industries.

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