Weichai Power launches first China VI compliant heavy duty hydrogen engine for zero carbon trucks

Weichai Power has announced that its WP15 hydrogen direct injection engine for heavy duty trucks passed China VI emission certification tests in July 2026. The 14.6 liter engine produces 600 horsepower and 2,800 Nm of torque with a brake thermal efficiency of 46.8%. It is designed for long haul trucks, mining equipment, and port machinery. The company says over 90% of components are shared with conventional engine platforms, which could lower production and maintenance costs. The engine uses hydrogen direct injection and spark ignition to achieve zero tailpipe carbon emissions while meeting China's current heavy duty vehicle standard. This is a notable step for hydrogen combustion engines in heavy transport, a sector that is hard to electrify with batteries due to weight and range constraints. The certification testing covered cold start, idling, full load, and transient conditions. Weichai plans to move toward mass production and support national hydrogen demonstration projects. The key question is whether hydrogen supply and refueling infrastructure can scale to match the engine's commercial potential. Without a reliable hydrogen network, even a certified engine cannot displace diesel at scale.