King Long Hydrogen Fuel Bus Launching Service “6·18”,Creating an Operating Era for Fujian Hydrogen Buses

On June 18, the 17th China Cross-Straits Technology and Projects Fair (hereinafter referred to as “6·18”) was officially opened. The Fair attracted more than 1200 high-tech enterprises to participate, with new industries, new technologies, new platforms, new formats and new models showing many highlights. Outside of the venue, King Long hydrogen fuel bus provides new “hydrogen” travel service with “zero pollution, zero emission” for this Fair, which is also attracting attention.

As the latest innovation-driven achievement of Fujian’s automobile industry, the hydrogen fuel bus XMQ6850G, independently developed and manufactured by King Long, was officially put into operation at this Fair, providing safer, more comfortable and more environmentally friendly commuting service for the staff of the 6·18 Organizing Committee, and marking the entry of King Long hydrogen fuel cell bus into the era of commercial operation. At the same time, it is also the first hydrogen fuel bus into operation in Fujian Province, injecting new momentum into green transportation in Fujian.

“Hydrogen” New Travel, Green Transportation to New Future

At 7:00 a.m. on June 18, a bus with blue-green body and the words “hydrogen fuel bus” was carrying the staff from Fuzhou Hongshanyuan Road to the ‎Strait International Conference and Exhibition Center. It passed through Daqiao South Second Ring Expressway and Linpu Road. Fifteen minutes later, it arrived at the get off point of the Strait International Conference and Exhibition Center Square, with 15 kilometers one way. During the Fair, this hydrogen fuel bus will travel to and from this route.

Master Zhao, who has been driving for 20 years, especially praised XMQ6850G for its power and comfort: “it is full of power, sensitive in response and reliable in driving. It is said that it can be filled with hydrogen in 10 - 15 minutes at the hydrogen refueling station. It would be very convenient to use such buses in the future.” At the same time, the good ride comfort of XMQ6850G has also won favorable comments from passengers.

XMQ6850G hydrogen fuel cell bus is a representative work of King Long, which integrates 20 years of new energy bus and 9 years of hydrogen fuel cell bus technology research and development. The bus has been announced among the 320th batch of Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and is the first hydrogen fuel bus to be operated on the road in Fujian Province. The XMQ6850G adopts the electric-electric hybrid energy matching driving mode of the fuel cell system and the power cell system, with a driving mileage of 580km under the condition of constant speed and fast refueling speed, thus having more obvious advantages when it is put into operation in the public transportation field.

Many Rigorous Tests, High Safety Standards

When the King Long hydrogen fuel bus stopped at the station outside the ‎Strait International Conference and Exhibition Center, many people came to visit with curiosity. How to ensure the safety of hydrogen use is the most concerned issue for everyone. Song Guangji, Deputy Manager of King Long’s New Energy and Advanced Technology Department, said: “King Long XMQ6850G hydrogen fuel cell city bus has three advanced safety protection measures, including structural safety of the whole bus, safety protection of the hydrogen supply system and all-weather real-time monitoring of hydrogen energy safety, to ensure safe hydrogen energy use and safe operation of the whole bus.”

XMQ6850G hydrogen fuel cell city bus uses high-quality carbon fiber aluminum lined hydrogen cylinder that has passed the hydrostatic test, burst test, fire test, drop test, shooting test and other special tests. The safety capability has passed extremely severe tests. Equipped with ECO-Chip easy-drive 3.0 new energy management system, with its 32-bit dual-core complete vehicle controller’s powerful computing power and redundant safety design, the industry’s highest level of complete vehicle control function safety is realized. The hydrogen cylinder compartment, fuel cell engine compartment, hydrogen refueling port compartment and passenger compartment are equipped with high-sensitivity hydrogen leakage sensors, which will automatically shut down the electric pile and hydrogen system immediately after abnormal conditions are monitored to ensure the safety of hydrogen use for vehicles. Hydrogen-electricity energy distribution control technology is adopted. In case of sudden lightning and other extreme weather during driving, the hydrogen fuel mode can be converted to lithium power battery mode to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the vehicle in time.

It is especially worth mentioning that the dedicated monitoring platform for King Wings Internet of Vehicles hydrogen fuel cell buses can dynamically monitor the running status, usage and attenuation of the hydrogen fuel cell system in real time. It can also detect the hydrogen concentration of the hydrogen supply system for 24 hours a day. If there is any abnormal situation, it can automatically notify the Customer Dispatching Center through the King Wings system. In the hydrogen refueling process, the complete vehicle automatically shuts down the high voltage system to ensure safety.

Accumulating Steadily to Promote High Quality Development

As we all know, hydrogen energy is a clean and efficient secondary energy carrier. The development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles has become a common strategic choice for the future development of new energy vehicles in many countries. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have long been listed as one of the three development directions of new energy vehicles (including hybrid power, pure electric and fuel cell). Encouraged by the national policy of no reduction of subsidies for hydrogen fuel vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles will become a new driving force for the transformation and upgrading of the automobile industry, and are expected to become a new “trend” for the industry.

King Long has accumulated nearly ten years of research and development experience on hydrogen fuel cell buses. Since 2010, it has been tracking and researching hydrogen fuel cell buses. In November 2015, it signed a contract with Ballard Power Systems Inc. to start the cooperative research and development of hydrogen fuel cell buses. Subsequently, a fuel cell bus project team consisting of 3 doctors, 18 masters and more than 40 research and development engineers was established to speed up relevant in-depth technical exchanges and research and development cooperation. One 12m hydrogen fuel cell bus was successfully developed in 2016. In 2017, the 12m hydrogen fuel bus XMQ6127AGFCEV with the industry’s leading technical level was officially listed in the announcement of the 303rd batch of new products issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, and entered the Catalogue of Recommended Models for Promotion and Application of New Energy Vehicles. In 2019, the newly developed 8m fuel cell bus XMQ6850G will be put into operation, which represents the beginning of a new era of commercial operation for King Long hydrogen fuel bus and will also help Fujian’s new energy vehicle industry to move towards high-quality development.

At present, China is vigorously promoting the innovative development of China’s hydrogen energy and fuel cell automobile industry. Hydrogen fuel cell buses have a promising future in the commercial vehicle field due to their advantages in driving mileage. King Long will continue to innovate in science and technology and unite with various industrial chains to accelerate the commercial application of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in China, thus bringing better travel for mass transportation.