Commercial vehicles are a major focus and challenge for pollution and carbon reduction in the automotive sector, yet their electrification has long trailed passenger cars. Advancing new energy commercial vehicles requires urgent breakthroughs in key models, use cases, and regions. Methanol-hydrogen electric vehicles—range extended electric vehicles powered by methanol instead of gasoline or diesel—offer low carbon emissions, strong performance, extended battery range, eligibility for green license plates, low operating costs, convenient refueling, and excellent cold-weather performance. These advantages enable full-scenario, nationwide deployment of new energy commercial vehicles. In this context, EV100plus conducted extensive research through surveys, field visits, expert interviews, and seminars, resulting in the Research on the Development of Methanol-Hydrogen Electric Vehicle (hereinafter “the Research”), released in September 2025.
The Research includes three parts:
1. It summarizes the current status of methanol-hydrogen electric vehicles, highlights their importance in accelerating commercial vehicle electrification, and identifies them as a key pathway for this transition.
2. It analyzes the sector from policy, product, industry, and energy supply perspectives, concluding that methanol-hydrogen technology—from R&D to manufacturing, supply chain, refueling, and maintenance—is ready for commercial rollout.
3. To address existing challenges, it calls for multi-dimensional support to align policy guidance with market forces. Key recommendations include:
·Elevate the industrial status of methanol-hydrogen electric vehicles and strengthening policy incentives;
·Designate a lead authority for methanol refueling stations to accelerate network development;
·Improve standard compliance and establish China’s low-carbon, green methanol certification system;
·Promote continuous innovation and building collaborative R&D platforms;
·Expand pilot and demonstration projects to boost public awareness and acceptance;
·Support the methanol ecosystem to drive integrated supply chain growth and expand green and low-carbon methanol production.
The Research’s release is expected to raise industry awareness, accelerate technological advancement and market adoption, improve the policy environment, and promote sector development.
