China is positioning itself as an important hydrogen player

China is going a step further in its generous support for hydrogen cars in the form of a package of measures aimed at improving the hydrogen fuel cell car supply chain and advancing related technologies, Reuters reports, citing a government official. The package will specifically target long-haul vehicles such as heavy trucks. China is actively promoting hydrogen as part of its future energy mix and even listed it as an energy source in a national law for the first time earlier this year. It also separated its promotion efforts for hydrogen from those for plug-in electric cars, the two types that were previously pooled under the New Energy Vehicle category. There is a plan to have a million hydrogen fuel cell cars on Chinese roads by 2030. That was more than just 6,000 last year, but questions have been raised about the prospect of this plan after reports last year that Beijing plans to end fuel cell car subsidies later this year. The country's finance ministry confirmed the reports, saying, "Some automakers have relied too much on subsidies and are finding it difficult to compete in global markets. And despite the financial support, the Chinese fuel cell industry has not achieved a breakthrough or rapid development experienced ". China is also stopping subsidies for all other non-EIS cars, but as these are phased out, the phasing out came as no surprise. The subsidies for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, however, have remained unchanged over the years. But despite the discontinuation of subsidies, Beijing still seems to believe in a future of hydrogen fuel cell technology for the transport sector. The new package, according to a senior Treasury official, quoted by Reuters, is designed to help companies research and develop breakthrough technologies in the hydrogen fuel cell space. Local authorities are also encouraged to promote the production of hydrogen cars in their regions.