The Beijing Winter Olympics is expected to be the first Olympic event to truly achieve "carbon neutrality". According to the data released by the Beijing Winter Olympics Organizing Committee, more than 1,000 hydrogen energy vehicles will be demonstrated during the Beijing Winter Olympics. In comparison, only 3 hydrogen energy vehicles were in demonstration operation at the Beijing Olympics held 14 years ago. In addition, this Winter Olympics is also equipped with more than 30 hydrogen refueling stations, and hydrogen fuel vehicles from major car companies are actively participating in the Beijing Winter Olympics. According to incomplete statistics, the vehicle models of the Winter Olympics include hydrogen fuel buses, hydrogen fuel cars, and hydrogen fuel special vehicles.

Hydrogen energy is the most representative hot sector, which will have a long-term and profound impact on China's new energy industry. According to the prediction of the Society of Automotive Engineers of China, by 2030, the annual output value of hydrogen energy vehicle industry is expected to exceed the trillion yuan mark.

1. Promote the popularization of hydrogen fuel vehicles

Selecting hydrogen energy vehicles as service vehicles for the Winter Olympics can fully demonstrate the potential of hydrogen energy applications, rapidly improve hydrogen energy awareness, and be beneficial to the advancement of industrialization. More importantly, the application of hydrogen energy vehicles has a unique fit with the concept of this Winter Olympics.

First of all, the low-carbon management report of the Beijing Winter Olympics clearly puts forward the principle of "using electricity in the plains and using hydrogen in the mountains", and promotes the use of electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel vehicles in various competition areas. Secondly, the terrain of Zhangjiakou and Yanqing, which are the venues of this Winter Olympics, has the characteristics of high mountains, slippery roads, low temperature and steep slopes. New energy vehicles are required to have ultra-long battery life and low temperature resistance, which provides hydrogen fuel cell vehicles good chance.

2. Demonstrable role

Although hydrogen has the characteristics of diversified sources, high driving efficiency, and zero-emission operation, it cannot be quickly popularized in passenger cars due to factors such as the cost of hydrogen manufacturing and the difficulty of constructing hydrogen refueling stations. Up to now,  mass-produced hydrogen fuel vehicles are still mainly commercial vehicles, and the passenger car field is basically in the research and development verification stage.

From a global perspective, many auto giants have started the research and development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles very early. According to data released by the China Automobile Association, the sales volume of fuel cell vehicles in China in 2021 will only be 1,556, mainly commercial vehicles. Although foreign auto giants started the research and development of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles very early, their mass production plans have been repeatedly delayed; Chinese auto companies have successively released hydrogen fuel cell models and mass production plans, but the market terminal has been difficult to see improvement.

However, the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics will become a watershed for the accelerated implementation of hydrogen energy in China. With the successful demonstration of hydrogen energy at the Tokyo Summer Olympics, combined with the excellent performance of the Beijing Winter Olympics, it will definitely improve the world's awareness of hydrogen energy. Hydrogen fuel buses may gradually become the main choice for long-distance public transportation in suburban areas and long-range intercity buses.