Beyond pure hydrogen, hydrogen-electric hybrids and battery-electric routes, Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle brought the industry-first ammonia single-fuel heavy truck to the 2026 APC Joint Academic Annual Conference.
The 2026 APC Joint Academic Annual Conference is jointly hosted by the Gasoline and Gas Engine Branch of the Chinese Society for Internal Combustion Engines and the Automotive Engine Branch of SAE-China. As a highly influential platform for energy-saving, low-carbon vehicle powertrain technology in China, it brought together 63 organisations and 113 industry delegates to chart a green, low-carbon, high-quality development path for the industry.
Li Zhi, deputy director of the Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle Technology Centre, delivered the keynote report “Key Technologies for Ammonia Powertrain in Heavy Commercial Vehicles” and formally launched the industry-first ammonia single-fuel heavy truck technology, which drew widespread attention and recognition.
On site, Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle walked academics, university research teams and supply-chain partners through the industrialisation opportunities and implementation path of ammonia powertrain for heavy commercial vehicles, reviewed its technology iterations in this field, and presented its self-developed integrated ammonia heavy-truck technology solution.
As a hydrogen-based energy carrier, ammonia offers four outstanding advantages: zero-carbon characteristics, convenient storage and transport, high energy density and a mature supporting industrial chain. Against the backdrop of carbon neutrality, ammonia powertrain is one of the preferred solutions that balance national energy security with the operating value delivered to heavy-truck users.
Since 2021, Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle has worked with Tsinghua University and Huazhong University of Science and Technology on a heavy commercial vehicle ammonia powertrain programme. Moving from ammonia-diesel and ammonia-hydrogen to ammonia single-fuel, three generations of technology over five years have overcome industry-wide challenges such as poor combustion stability, slow combustion speed and the difficulty of controlling nitrogen-based emissions.
The Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle ammonia single-fuel heavy truck achieves four core technology breakthroughs: an ammonia single-fuel engine, an efficient emissions control system, a liquid-ammonia multi-mode vaporisation supply system and a dedicated heavy-duty hybrid assembly. The vehicle carries only one fuel storage and supply unit, is refuelled with ammonia alone and feeds the engine with ammonia as its only fuel, yet the engine exceeds 49% thermal efficiency and supports zero-carbon, high-efficiency operation across all operating conditions. The launch of this technology demonstrates Dongfeng Commercial Vehicle’s responsibility and commitment in leading the low-carbon transition of the commercial vehicle industry through hard-core technical innovation, and supports the green, high-quality development of China’s powertrain industry.
