GWM Deploys First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Truck in Brazil

The once-sleepy industrial town of Iracemápolis in São Paulo State woke with a roar. Great Wall Motor held the grand opening of its shiny new Brazilian plant and rolled out the country’s first heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cells truck, powered by the GWM HYDROGEN FTXT system. It’s a milestone for hydrogen fuel cells, proving they’re more than a lab novelty—they’re ready for Brazil’s demanding roads. The plant is a key link in GWM’s global network bridging China and Latin America, a real frontline in the drive for industrial decarbonization under Brazil’s blazing sun and humid skies.

After sealing a 2023 MoU with the São Paulo State Government to explore hydrogen applications, GWM didn’t waste a moment: by 2024, five refueling stations had popped up across the state. On day one in Iracemápolis, the factory rolled out a rig packing a 105 kWh battery and a 40 kg hydrogen tank. Starting this September, these trucks will hit the highways of São Paulo and Minas Gerais for road tests in partnership with the University of São Paulo and UNIFEI. The mission? Prove that this zero-emission technology can haul heavy loads, top up in minutes, and run on both green hydrogen and ethanol-sourced hydrogen. Over 1,000 km of real-world trials will reveal the true range under full load.

Here’s the scoop: on August 16, the Iracemápolis plant flung open its doors, unveiling Brazil’s first operational fuel cell electric truck. The state governments of São Paulo and Minas Gerais are backing the project, following a November 2024 agreement with UNIFEI to build out green hydrogen supply and hydrogen infrastructure. So far, five hydrogen stations are up and running, aligning with Brazil’s MOVER program to clean up freight transport. FTXT even ran initial trials with prototype units in 2024.

The upcoming tests will tackle loading cycles, range demos across tropical lowlands and plateau regions, and refueling drills. Data from USP and UNIFEI—think vehicle telemetry, fuel economy, and system durability—will feed back into product tweaks and an export playbook for Chinese hydrogen solutions eyeing global markets hungry for sustainable energy options.

Dive into the tech, and you’ll see FTXT’s custom hydrogen fuel cell technology at the core. It pairs a 105 kWh lithium-ion battery with a high-pressure fuel cell stack fueled by 40 kg of compressed hydrogen, emitting nothing but water vapor. They’re touting a 60% peak efficiency, though real-world numbers might flex a bit. Hydrogen tanks store the gas at 350 bar, and early dry runs have already logged cold-start performance and thermal management under Brazil’s summertime heatwaves.

Fuel comes from two sources: renewable-powered electrolysis and ethanol reforming—leveraging Brazil’s biofuel infrastructure to diversify hydrogen production. Mixing these methods in the pilot will highlight cost and performance trade-offs, guiding decisions on scaling, logistics, and local feedstock availability.

This launch is China’s clean-energy exporters making a calculated play. GWM and its unit, FTXT Energy Tech, are cementing their footprint in Latin America, while Brazil secures tech transfer and workforce upskilling. The 2023 MoU with São Paulo set the stage; the 2024 pact with Minas Gerais strengthened a network spanning R&D, refueling, and policy alignment.

Officials tout this as a blueprint for regional adoption of hydrogen infrastructure. For GWM, it’s about credibility and market share in the global hydrogen fuel cells race. For Brazil, it underscores its strategic pivot away from diesel and a commitment to carbon-neutral targets without compromising heavy freight capabilities—riding the wave of China’s Belt and Road green-energy projects.

Brazil’s biofuel journey began in the 1970s, but heavy-duty trucks have lagged behind. Electric trucks have hit range and charging constraints that hydrogen can sidestep with rapid refuels and longer hauls. Still, the hydrogen roadmap has steep hurdles: high electrolyzer costs, swinging ethanol feedstock prices, and capital-intensive hydrogen infrastructure rollouts. Regulators also face the task of crafting safety codes for handling high-pressure hydrogen—a non-trivial undertaking.

Even with five stations in São Paulo, nationwide coverage is years away. Market forces—fuel price volatility, maintenance demands, competition from battery trucks—will test whether hydrogen shifts from pilot stage to mainstream solution. Logistics in remote areas could also trip up supply consistency.

This program isn’t just about semis; it’s about building talent and ecosystems. Researchers at USP and UNIFEI will get hands-on experience, and local technicians will learn to service fuel cell stacks and refueling hubs. We’re talking dozens of high-skill jobs in engineering, maintenance, and logistics—laying a foundation for industrial decarbonization in the region.

Beyond new employment, this initiative sparks knowledge transfer that could turbocharge Brazil’s own R&D in green hydrogen, setting the stage for cross-sector rollouts in shipping, industry, and power generation—essential for genuine industrial decarbonization. Word is local spare-part supply chains are already forming around Iracemápolis.

Seeing a hydrogen-fueled 18-wheeler roar to life in Brazil is downright thrilling. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves—hype can outpace economics. Unless green hydrogen costs plummet and supply chains prove bulletproof, this may stay a flashy pilot rather than a freight revolution. I’ll be watching the price-per-kilometer and downtime stats before popping any celebratory corks. And remember: a few breakdowns could dash political goodwill faster than you think.

Trials kick off in September 2025, and monthly updates from USP and UNIFEI will drop performance metrics. If the data checks out, GWM will press for broader rollouts across Latin America. If not, this project might become a textbook case on the limits of early-stage hydrogen tech. Stakeholders will also be eyeing public acceptance and regulatory tweaks needed for wider hydrogen infrastructure deployment.