On November 10, 2025, the H49, Guangzhou Hybot Technology Co., Ltd.'s world-first forward-developed hydrogen fuel cell heavy-duty logistics truck for mainline transportation, successfully clinched the prestigious title of "2026 China Truck of the Year (CTOY 2026)!"

On November 10, 2025, at the 2025 China International Commercial Vehicle Show (CCVS) held in Wuhan, the results of the "2026 China Annual Truck Evaluation Event," organized by Commercial Vehicle Magazine, were officially announced. The H49, Guangzhou Hybot Technology Co., Ltd.'s globally first forward-developed hydrogen fuel cell heavy-duty logistics truck for mainline transportation, triumphantly claimed the title of "2026 China Truck of the Year (CTOY 2026)" thanks to its groundbreaking technological architecture, outstanding lifecycle value, and vast commercialization potential.

At the awards ceremony, Gianenrico Griffini, Special Advisor to the Chairman of the International Annual Truck Jury, Wang Xia, President of the Automotive Industry Branch of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade, and Yu Jing, Chairman of the China Annual Truck Jury, Editor-in-Chief of Commercial Vehicle Magazine, and Deputy General Manager of Beijing Zhuozhong Publishing Co., Ltd., presented Hybot with the trophy and medals for the 2026 China Truck of the Year (CTOY 2026). Huang Zhaqin, Chairman of Hybot, and Sun Ying, CEO of Hybot, attended the ceremony together and proudly accepted the prestigious trophy and medals.

As the first domestic technology company dedicated to providing commercial vehicle transportation solutions powered by hydrogen fuel cells, Hybot has firmly committed itself since its inception to a "forward-developed" technological approach, decisively breaking away from the industry's long-standing reliance on the "oil-to-hydrogen" conversion model. This innovative mindset, rooted deep in the company’s DNA, has enabled the H49 to showcase distinctly unique product characteristics right from its design stage—setting it apart entirely from conventional diesel heavy trucks and other new-energy-powered heavy-duty vehicles. In its award citation, the judging panel highlighted how the H49 sets a benchmark for next-generation heavy-duty trucks in terms of cab styling and interior space design. Moreover, the vehicle’s integrated innovations in technical architecture and intelligent driver-assistance systems offer a fresh, viable, and promising technological pathway for achieving low-carbon, high-efficiency development in China’s long-haul logistics sector.

In terms of the core performance determining commercial vehicle efficiency, the H49 has set multiple industry records. Equipped with a high-power 300kW fuel cell system and featuring an innovative, hydrogen-electricity integrated intelligent chassis design, the vehicle achieves unparalleled energy efficiency through deep integration of its powertrain and hydrogen storage system. The mature application of an 800V high-voltage architecture combined with silicon-carbide-based electric control technology has reduced the vehicle’s overall energy consumption by 15% compared to the industry average, while boosting the fuel cell system’s comprehensive efficiency to over 55%. After nearly two years of engineering refinement, Hybot’s gaseous-hydrogen-powered range now exceeds 1,000 kilometers, enabling it to deliver an impressive hydrogen consumption rate of just 7.1 kg per 100 kilometers when fully loaded at 49 tons—ideal for highway operations. This remarkable achievement not only surpasses the energy efficiency of comparable all-electric heavy-duty trucks by 2 to 3 times but also addresses the longstanding range anxiety plaguing long-haul logistics. Moreover, thanks to its exceptional energy performance, the H49 can operate more cost-effectively than diesel vehicles in the same scenarios. Meanwhile, the H49 demonstrates outstanding adaptability across extreme environmental conditions: whether enduring frigid temperatures as low as -30°C, sweltering heat up to 45°C, or high-altitude regions at 3,500 meters above sea level, the vehicle maintains reliable operation, effectively breaking through geographical barriers that have traditionally limited the deployment of hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks.

 

The dual breakthroughs in lightweight design and energy efficiency are among the key factors that set the H49 apart. By deeply integrating the powertrain, hydrogen storage system, and chassis, coupled with innovative applications of carbon fiber materials, the H49 successfully keeps the vehicle's total weight below 10 tons. Meanwhile, its ultra-low drag coefficient of just 0.35 further enhances fuel efficiency and reduces overall energy consumption. Backed by a "quality-performance" dual-optimization design philosophy, the vehicle can reach a maximum full-load speed of up to 120 km/h, laying a solid foundation for improving logistics transportation efficiency. Moreover, the H49 comes pre-equipped with an advanced L4-level intelligent driving system, supporting over ten smart features such as high-speed autonomous driving and platooning. These innovations not only effectively ease the driver’s workload but also boost operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness through intelligent speed control and route optimization.

Beyond breakthroughs in hardware, the deep integration of software-defined automotive technologies further highlights the H49's core competitiveness for the future. Built on a cross-domain, cloud-to-vehicle integrated SOA architecture, the H49 achieves hardware pre-installation while decoupling it from software, enabling seamless over-the-air (OTA) upgrades that continuously enhance its functionality over time. This forward-thinking design ensures the vehicle remains technologically advanced throughout its entire lifecycle—allowing users to enjoy cutting-edge intelligent driving features and optimized energy management strategies without ever needing to upgrade the hardware itself. Meanwhile, by combining remote diagnostics with cloud-based maintenance services, the vehicle’s overall operating costs can be reduced by more than 10%, delivering tangible economic benefits to logistics enterprises.

 

Additionally, Hybot is rapidly advancing the commercial deployment of its products, riding a strong market momentum. Currently, Hybot has completed multiple batches of vehicle deliveries, with its products steadily operating in inter-provincial trunk-line logistics scenarios across regions such as Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, Shandong, South China, and Sichuan. These vehicles are already serving well-known enterprises like JD Logistics, IKEA, and Coca-Cola. As the leading entity responsible for Beijing's three fuel-cell vehicle demonstration projects, Hybot's related models have collectively accumulated over 700,000 kilometers of operational mileage in customer-specific applications. Looking ahead, Hybot will collaborate closely with ecosystem partners to further expand its operational scale, delivering customers TVO’s optimal "Vehicle + Energy + N" integrated mobility solutions.

This time, the Hybot H49 has been honored with the prestigious "China Truck of the Year" award, a recognition that goes far beyond celebrating a single product—it marks a significant milestone in China’s journey, as hydrogen-powered commercial vehicles transition from technical standards to real-world applications. The truck has proven to the global market that hydrogen-powered heavy-duty trucks are no longer just conceptual prototypes confined to laboratories; instead, they have become practical tools capable of delivering tangible economic value to the logistics industry. In an era when the world is actively tackling climate change and accelerating the energy transition, Hybot, with its groundbreaking innovation and cutting-edge technology, has charted a clear and viable path toward the clean transformation of the global commercial vehicle sector—bringing the vision of zero-carbon transportation firmly within reach.

The China Annual Truck Review Event was founded in 2015 by Commercial Vehicle Magazine. Drawing on the successful experience of Europe's well-established International Truck of the Year (ITOY) award—launched in 1977—the Chinese version is an innovative initiative tailored to China's unique road transportation conditions and the local commercial vehicle media landscape. It is currently the only regularly held, load-based professional road test event in China, exclusively focused on the latest models from Chinese truck brands and open to participation by international media outlets.

 

The vehicles nominated for the China Truck of the Year (CTOY) must be innovative models that have been recently launched or introduced to the market within the past year, showcasing industry-leading features and demonstrating significant advancements in enhancing transportation efficiency. The selection criteria for this award are aligned with those of the international Truck of the Year competition, making the evaluation process exceptionally rigorous. The CTOY Jury is composed of commercial vehicle journalists from both domestic and international media outlets, seasoned truck users from China, and esteemed industry experts, earning high recognition from commercial vehicle manufacturers at home and abroad for its technical expertise and authoritative standing.