In June 2021, with support from Energy Foundation China, Zhangjiakou Hydrogen and Renewable Energy released this report evaluating how fuel cell buses running on the streets of the Northern China city perform compared with internal combustion engine buses.

The report analyzes the costs, emissions, and technological maturity of hydrogen fuel cell buses operated in Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, and compares them with traditional buses powered by gas and diesel, as well as pure electric buses. The authors find that fuel cell buses are still trailing in terms of costs and technology. As for criteria pollutant emissions, buses powered by fuel cell are doing better than those powered by fossil fuel, while their greenhouse gas emission levels depend on how the hydrogen is produced. The authors also put forward suggestions regarding how to accelerate the adoption and regional expansion of heavy-duty fuel cell vehicles.