Article

Methanol is gaining traction in China as a cost-effective alternative for cleaner transport, especially in areas with infrastructure limitations. Farizon New Energy's methanol-hydrogen electric technology, developed with Bosch, achieves 50.3% thermal efficiency, producing over 2 kilowatt-hours per liter of methanol at a cost of less than 1 yuan ($0.14) per kilowatt-hour.

This offers a 32% to 52% reduction in fuel costs compared to diesel. Methanol-hydrogen trucks are approximately 10% cheaper than battery electric ones, with a driving range of about 1,500 kilometers. China's existing network of 120,000 fuel stations can be retrofitted for methanol at a much lower cost than hydrogen or battery infrastructure.

Supportive policies are in place, but improvements in refueling standards and incentives are needed. Industry experts propose methanol as a complementary route to electrification, particularly for commercial vehicles.