Weichai Power Co Ltd, a leading Chinese powertrain producer based in Weifang, Shandong province, has been ramping up efforts to make greater contributions to Weifang's green development.

Weifang promotes the development of the emerging hydrogen energy industry. [Photo/Dazhong News]

A bus fleet consisting of 200 hydrogen fuel cell-powered vehicles was rolled out to residents in Weifang recently, injecting new energy into the city's efforts to promote stronger, greener and healthier urban development.

Weichai Power's newly developed new energy powertrain systems were installed on the buses. The buses can travel 350 kilometers on a single charge, according to local officials.

Weifang has built five hydrogen refueling stations, and the city is also home to more hydrogen buses than any other city in the world.

Weichai Power not only leads the industry in the promotion and demonstration of hydrogen buses, but also actively distributes hydrogen power for a full series of commercial vehicles.

Hydrogen fuel cell-powered buses in Weifang [Photo/Dazhong News]

Since 2010, Weichai Power has invested 4 billion yuan ($578.4 million) in the layout of the new energy business. After more years of development, it has set up a R&D team with independent innovation capabilities, built the world's largest R&D and manufacturing base consisting of 20,000 hydrogen fuel cell engines, and made a large number of breakthrough achievements with completely independent intellectual property rights in the R&D and industrialization of the whole fuel cell industry chain.

The National Center for Fuel Cell Technology Innovation was recently launched in Weifang, and the center, supported by Weichai Power, has joined hands with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsinghua University, Sinotruk, Zhongtong Bus and other industry leading enterprises, academic institutions and research institutes. It plans to expand the channels that bring together enterprises, universities, research institutes and end-users, and refine the equity-based incentive mechanisms for scientific and technological advances.

Weichai mass produces hydrogen fuel cells and related components. [Photo/Dazhong News]