On September 25, 2025, the China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation, known as Sinopec, unveiled significant advancements in hydrogen mobility during the High-quality Development Promotion Conference for the Modern Industrial Chain of Hydrogen Energy Application held in Nanjing. The company successfully demonstrated long-distance hydrogen logistics with three hydrogen-powered vehicles completing a journey of 1,500 kilometers from the Qingwei Integrated Energy Station in Qingpu District, Shanghai.
The route traversed the Yangtze River, passing through five provinces and municipalities: Shanghai, Jiangsu, Anhui, Jiangxi, and Hubei. The vehicles refueled at six Sinopec hydrogen stations along the way, marking a crucial milestone in the development of cross-regional hydrogen logistics. This achievement builds upon earlier tests conducted along two other hydrogen corridors: the Beijing-Shanghai Corridor and the Western Land-Sea Corridor, leveraging Sinopec’s extensive energy station network.
Sinopec has established five intercity hydrogen corridors to date, including connections between Beijing-Tianjin, Chengdu-Chongqing, Shanghai-Jiaxing-Ningbo, Jinan-Qingdao, and Wuhan-Yichang. The latest initiative aims to integrate hydrogen mobility throughout eastern and western regions by linking the Shanghai-Jiaxing-Ningbo corridor with the Wuhan-Yichang corridor via the Yangtze River hydrogen corridor. The company plans to further extend this network to the Chengdu-Chongqing corridor, ultimately establishing the Yangtze River hydrogen axis that will support the safe travel of hydrogen-powered vehicles on highways.
With an annual hydrogen production capacity of 4.45 million tons, Sinopec continues to assert its position as a leader in the hydrogen sector. The company operates the first industrial-scale seawater-to-hydrogen project at Qingdao Refinery and is developing a 100 kW solid oxide electrolysis cell pilot at Zhongyuan Oilfield. Additionally, the 30,000-ton per year Ordos integrated wind-solar hydrogen project in Inner Mongolia contributes to coal chemical decarbonization, while the 100,000-ton per year Ulanqab integrated wind-solar hydrogen project will facilitate the first large-scale, cross-provincial, long-distance pure hydrogen pipeline in China.
Presently, Sinopec operates 146 hydrogen stations and 11 supply centers, making it the world’s largest hydrogen station operator. These facilities cover all designated “3+2” hydrogen fuel cell pilot city clusters, further solidifying Sinopec’s pivotal role in the hydrogen economy.
Looking forward, Sinopec plans to collaborate with the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) through its “Hydrogen Highway” initiative. This strategy aims to enhance the refueling networks along highways, stimulate the hydrogen economy, and introduce sustainable business models that contribute to high-quality industrial growth. The company’s ambitious efforts in hydrogen mobility reflect a broader commitment to developing clean energy solutions and reducing carbon emissions across the nation.
