Recently, Toyota Motor announced that it will provide key hydrogen fuel cell components to Chinese automaker FAW Group and Higer Bus, a subsidiary of Suzhou King Long. Following Foton Motor, two commercial vehicle companies, FAW and Suzhou Jinlong, became the second batch of domestic customers of Toyota fuel cells. According to Toyota's official announcement, local supplier Shanghai Reshaping Energy Technology Co., Ltd. will assume the role of parts integration and provide fuel cell power system packaging services with Toyota technology as the core for these two car companies.

　　Want to make a difference in fuel cells

　　The characteristics of fuel cells, which are clean and zero-emission, have long driving range and short refueling time, can effectively solve the current user pain points of pure electric vehicles and are the best choice to adapt to market requirements. Moreover, with the increase in production and the development of technology, the cost of using fuel cells will drop significantly. The only restriction is the construction and operation of hydrogen refueling stations. However, as liquid hydrogen technology matures in the future, it is hoped that the problems of hydrogen transportation and storage will be solved. As fuel cell technology shines at this year's Shanghai International Auto Show and Japanese and Korean car companies represented by Toyota, Honda, and Hyundai become increasingly mature in fuel cell vehicle operation experience, fuel cell technology, which has been dormant in China for some time, has been revived. It has become a new energy technology route that all parties are paying close attention to. However, as we embark on another upsurge in fuel cell research, Toyota has quietly entered the Chinese mainland market through various channels.

　　When it comes to the promotion and application of fuel cell technology, Toyota has clearly learned the lesson of being too conservative in hybrid technology, and its intention to actively promote its technology domestically is very obvious. In the longer term, Toyota also hopes to skip pure electric power, a technology route that it has no advantages, and directly use fuel cell technology to occupy the Chinese automobile market. After all, once domestic consumers fully accept the pure electric technology route, complete the cultivation of various driving habits, and improve charging piles and other infrastructure, then Toyota, which has no technical advantages in the pure electric field, will The future of China's auto market may be lost. Just like its conservative approach to hybrid technology, it was only able to transfer relevant technology patents to Corun for 1 yuan. As for whether it can cultivate a hybrid market without subsidies in the Chinese market in the future, the prospects are still very difficult to say. Maybe Toyota regrets its mistake, and instead of doing this, it would be better to introduce hybrid technology to the country as soon as possible.

　　Switch from commercial vehicles to get twice the result with half the effort

　　In the business model with the two companies, Toyota's business has become very convenient due to finding Shanghai to reshape the role of the middleman. This model is actually similar to the model in which Toyota transfers hybrid power technology to Corun, and Corun provides technical services to Geely. Toyota does not need to be involved in the cumbersome daily project communication with OEMs such as FAW and King Long. The relevant work is fully completed by Shanghai Reshaping. Products with Toyota's intellectual property rights and related design integration concepts will be continuously imported into domestic vehicle manufacturers. Earning profits from related technology transfer and parts is one thing, but also cultivating the usage habits of domestic customers. , bringing future user traffic.

　　Toyota's fuel cell technology is knocking on the domestic door, will the market change of technology happen again?

　　In addition, the commercial vehicle-first strategy also fully takes into account the actual application environment and constraints of fuel cells. At the same time, combined with the national subsidy policy, Toyota has taken the wisest path this time. The biggest problem in the current promotion of fuel cell technology is the cost of the fuel cell itself and the network layout of hydrogen refueling stations. For commercial vehicles, their driving routes are relatively fixed and there are large government subsidies. Entering the domestic fuel cell market through commercial vehicles can achieve twice the result with half the effort.

　　Be wary of the mindset of market-for-technology

　　With the success of Mirai, Toyota has very rich experience in key fuel cell component technology and operations. However, for the Chinese automobile industry, it must abandon the old thinking mode of using the market to replace technology. The biggest beneficiary of Toyota's introduction of fuel cell technology into the country is Toyota. Foreign compradors such as Shaoxing and Beijing Yihuatong can also survive and even take the opportunity to grow bigger. However, hoping to steal Toyota's patented technology through cooperation is probably unlikely.

　　Domestic commercial vehicle companies and even some OEMs with weak technical capabilities but eager to enter the field of fuel cells may be stimulated by relevant demonstration cases and strive to seek in-depth cooperation with Toyota in the field of fuel cells, so that Toyota can slowly grow. The circle of friends on this technical route, and ultimately through these OEMs lacking technology, affected the various subsidies and rights-of-way privileges granted by the local government, gradually forming a team that stood under the banner of Toyota's technical route. team, and ultimately determine the overall situation of domestic fuel cell development.

　　For domestic car companies, the technical threshold is high and the infrastructure is insufficient. At present, except for SAIC and Great Wall, fuel cells have not become the first choice of most OEMs, or have become the main area of resource investment. Among them, Great Wall Motors has been the most determined and the most intensive investment in fuel cells. For independent brands, they need to seek breakthroughs in core integration technology and key component technology, so as to have the possibility to compete with Toyota.

　　As the currently recognized ultimate solution for zero-emission technology, even if the state significantly reduces subsidies for pure electric and plug-in hybrids, it currently appears that it will not give up subsidies for fuel cells. However, the government cannot actively intervene in the introduction of Toyota technology, but it can carry out a higher-level unified planning through subsidies: China's automobile industry should introduce the most advanced technology, but it can no longer open up the market as before. The purpose of introducing technology is to stimulate domestic independent research and development, have an object that can be referenced and measured, and ultimately form its own core development capabilities to compete with Toyota and Hyundai on the global stage.

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