• time;2025-08-01 11:20:18

Reporter from China Industry NewsGuo Yu

As the "driving heart" of the national economy, the development trajectory of internal combustion engines has always resonated with the industrialization process of the country.Against the backdrop of the deepening of the "dual carbon" strategy, the rise of new quality productivity, and the restructuring of the global industrial chain, China's internal combustion engine industry is ushering in a historic turning point from "scale expansion" to "value leap".

Recently, the "15th Five Year Plan" Development Plan Exchange Conference for the internal combustion engine industry held in Hai'an, Jiangsu Province has become a key platform for consolidating consensus across the entire industry chain. Leaders and experts from 20 special plans, as well as the core team of the China Internal Combustion Engine Industry Association, gathered together. Leading enterprises, universities, and research institutes such as China Shipbuilding, CRRC, Weichai Power, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Yuchai Co., Ltd., Tianjin University, Tongji University, and FAW Research and Development Institute deeply participated in the conference, discussing the industry's development path in the next five years and providing wisdom and suggestions for planning.Professor Yao Mingfa from Tianjin UniversityIn the concluding remarks, it was emphasized that "currently, all industries are guided by the goals of the 15th Five Year Plan, and through technological innovation and industrial synergy, we are comprehensively promoting the industry to move towards a new stage of high-quality development

Weichai Multi Fuel Mining Power made its debut at the China International Mining Exhibition.

(Image provided by the enterprise)

Policy guidance and technological breakthroughs

Shen Bin, Secretary General of the China Internal Combustion Engine Industry Association, believes that during the "15th Five Year Plan" period, the internal combustion engine industry will usher in three major opportunities, which are rooted in both the top-level design of national strategies and the innovation vitality of the industry itself.

The 15th Five Year Plan, as an important plan that connects China's modernization goals by 2035, has profound significance in guiding the economic and social development of the next five years and even longer periods. The internal combustion engine industry, as a fundamental industry of the national economy, a core component of major technological equipment fields, and a key link in the manufacturing industry chain, carries special and significant significance in the formulation of its "15th Five Year Plan".

Xing Min, Executive Vice President of China Internal Combustion Engine Industry AssociationIt is stated that the internal combustion engine industry is an important cornerstone of China's manufacturing industry, and in the future, it will strictly follow the path of low-carbon and zero carbon development, and resolutely implement the national energy-saving and emission reduction strategy deployment. At the same time, we will closely promote the transformation and upgrading of the industry around the integration of policies, markets, and technology. Especially by enhancing independent innovation capabilities, deepening the integration and innovation of manufacturing technology and information technology, with intelligent manufacturing as the core driving force, comprehensively promoting the collaborative innovation of products, technology, and business models, and accelerating the industry's leap towards a high-quality stage.

Shen Bin, Secretary General of China Internal Combustion Engine Industry AssociationIt is believed that during the 15th Five Year Plan period, the internal combustion engine industry will usher in three major opportunities, which are both rooted in the top-level design of national strategies and the innovation vitality of the industry itself.

One is the strategic demand and requirements for major national technological equipment.National major technological equipment, as a crucial tool related to the lifeline of the national economy and strategic security, is an important support for industrial upgrading and technological progress. It is also a concentrated reflection of the country's comprehensive strength and development level, and plays a significant leading and driving role in the high-quality development of the economy. In this context, the industry needs to accelerate the layout of strategic cutting-edge equipment fields such as power equipment, advanced rail transit equipment, and aerospace equipment. At the same time, we will deepen the integration and innovation of new generation information technology and major technological equipment, with intelligent manufacturing as the main direction, promoting innovation and transformation in product form, research and development methods, production methods, and service models, and enhancing the level of digital research and development, networked collaboration, and intelligent manufacturing of enterprises. In addition, based on the regional development foundation and comparative advantages, relying on industry leading enterprises and key industrial parks, we should cultivate a group of high-level major technology and equipment clusters with outstanding main businesses, complete supporting facilities, and sound cooperation. Finally, the "unveiling and leading" approach will be adopted around key areas to support the joint construction of the first (set) major technical equipment testing and verification platform by research and development, manufacturing, and application units, promoting resource sharing and the transformation of scientific and technological achievements.

The second is the support of national policies, regulations, and advantages in industrial development.At the national level, multiple policies have been introduced to provide strong support for the low-carbon transformation of the internal combustion engine industry. The "Guidelines for the Construction of the Hydrogen Energy Industry Standard System (2023 Edition)" issued by six ministries and commissions, as well as the "Guiding Catalogue for Industrial Structure Adjustment (2024 Edition)" issued by the National Development and Reform Commission, have clarified the direction for the development of technologies such as hydrogen fuel internal combustion engines and methanol/ammonia powered ship types from standard formulation to industry orientation. The inclusion of hydrogen energy in relevant policies of the National Energy Administration and the Energy Law of the People's Republic of China injects confidence into the development of the industry from the perspective of energy strategy. Under the catalysis of policy dividends, positive progress has been made in industrial practice. Low carbon and carbon neutral internal combustion engines have been developed in various fields such as passenger cars and commercial vehicles, and some technical indicators have made breakthroughs. The domestic industrial chain is relatively complete, the relevant components are basically mature, and the research and development testing capabilities and standard system are gradually being constructed. However, these foundations still need to be further consolidated in order to truly form industrial competitiveness.

The third is demand driven in the application field.Efficient, low-carbon, and near zero pollutant emissions have become the core development trend and requirements of the new generation of internal combustion engines. This trend is not only the result of policy pressure, but also the inevitable upgrade of market demand. In this direction, the industry needs to focus on promoting multidimensional technological innovation and application: continuously tapping into the potential of traditional internal combustion engines, consolidating the industrial foundation through improving thermal efficiency and achieving independent controllability of key components; Accelerate the development and application of various hybrid technologies, optimize the efficiency of the power system; Focus on developing and applying a new generation of low-carbon and carbon neutral fuel internal combustion engines that cover various alternative fuel types such as ammonia, hydrogen, and alcohol; Promote the upgrading, development, and industrialization of the new generation of small universal power. It can be said that with the advantages of mature technology, reliable quality, and outstanding cost-effectiveness, relying on a solid industrial foundation, continuous technological innovation, and large-scale production capacity, the internal combustion engine industry will continuously meet the needs of efficient and low-carbon development.

Breaking through bottlenecks and strategic focus

Shen Bin believes that the development of internal combustion engines needs to focus on nine key areas and form a systematic response plan.

However, opportunities and challenges often coexist. In the face of the above opportunities, the internal combustion engine industry will also face multiple challenges in the future.

We need to implement the "dual carbon" strategy, promote the transformation of industries towards high efficiency, low carbon, and near zero emissions, and meet stricter emission and fuel consumption regulations.This not only involves technological innovation, but also concerns the reconstruction of the entire industrial ecosystem.

At the same time, it is necessary to achieve advanced industrial foundation and industrial chain collaboration, strengthen basic research on alternative fuel engines, and improve their energy efficiency and reliability. We need to break through the bottleneck of independent controllability of key core components, improve relevant standards and testing systems, and promote demonstration projects.

In addition, enterprises also face enormous pressure to invest in research and development of multiple technological routes, all of which urgently require support from national policies and infrastructure.

In response to these challenges, Shen Bin believes that the development of internal combustion engines needs to focus on nine key areas and form a systematic response plan: strengthening basic research on databases, processes, materials, etc., which is the foundation of technological innovation; Consolidate the advantages of upgrading traditional industries and avoid blindly abandoning the old; Reasonably layout the new energy track to reduce risks and accelerate its industrialization and marketization; Strengthening collaborative innovation in the industrial chain and achieving independent and controllable control of key components is the key to ensuring industrial security; Improve the standard system and align with international standards to enhance international discourse power; Promote cross industry cooperation and transformation, break down industrial barriers; Accelerate enterprise digitization, intelligent green manufacturing, and improve management and quality; Cultivate international enterprises and accelerate the overseas expansion of independent brands. These tasks are interrelated and indispensable, together forming the core path for the industry to break through bottlenecks.

Advantage areas and improvement directions

Despite the significant achievements mentioned above, by the end of the 14th Five Year Plan period, China's internal combustion engine industry still has obvious shortcomings compared to developed countries.

The 15th Five Year Plan cannot be separated from the achievements and experience during the 14th Five Year Plan period. From the current development status of the industry, China has firmly established its position as the world's largest producer of internal combustion engine power. The achievement of this position is not accidental, but the result of continuous technological progress and economies of scale. In recent years, the technological progress in the internal combustion engine industry has been remarkable, driving industrial upgrading in all aspects. With its high-tech manufacturing strength and huge scale effect, China's advantages in this field have been continuously strengthened, standing out in international competition.

Specifically, from 2021 to 2024, the sales volume of the internal combustion engine industry will remain stable in the range of 76 to 82.6 million units, and the total power will steadily increase to 2.98 billion kilowatts.The export market has performed well, with export value increasing from 20.028 billion US dollars to 24.437 billion US dollars (excluding internal combustion engines exported with complete vehicles).The concentration of export trade volume to the top ten countries such as the United States and Russia in 2024 is nearly 49%, which reflects the international market's recognition of Chinese products and reveals the concentration risk of export markets. Taking into account various factors, the internal combustion engine industry is expected to develop steadily by 2025, with an estimated growth rate of around 4%.

In terms of technological innovation, the achievements during the 14th Five Year Plan period have laid a solid foundation for the 15th Five Year Plan.The development of the new generation of diesel engines has yielded fruitful results: Weichai Power's heavy-duty diesel engines have repeatedly broken global records in thermal efficiency, while Yuchai and Jiefang Power have passed the EU's high-end certification. The gasoline engine industry is also not to be outdone, with thermal efficiency indicators of companies such as Geely, GAC, Dongfeng, and Chery continuing to rise. The independent innovation project of key components is also steadily advancing: the localization of Hudong Heavy Machinery Nuclear Power Emergency Unit and the mass production of FAW Jiefang ECU mark a significant increase in China's independent capabilities in the field of core components. From 2021 to 2024, the internal combustion engine industry has won a total of 2 special prizes, 9 first prizes, and 99 second and third prizes in the Mechanical Industry Science and Technology Awards.

In promoting the application of petroleum alternative fuels, many domestic host companies actively layout hydrogen fuel internal combustion engines.The successful ignition of FAW Jiefang ammonia hydrogen fusion direct injection zero carbon internal combustion engine and the acceptance of China's first high substitution rate methanol engine have provided new living space for internal combustion engines in the "dual carbon" era. In addition, Yuchai tractor hybrid assemblies have broken foreign monopolies, Dalian University of Technology ammonia fuel engines have filled the gap, and Yuchai Marine has delivered the world's first new dual fuel engine. A series of landmark achievements demonstrate China's innovative vitality in segmented fields.

Despite the significant achievements mentioned above, by the end of the 14th Five Year Plan period, China's internal combustion engine industry still has obvious shortcomings compared to developed countries: the mechanism for building an independent innovation system is not yet perfect, there are weak links in the industrial chain, and there is still a gap between the durability, stability, and consistency of key components and the advanced level of foreign countries. There is still room for improvement in product technology level. Therefore, in the future, China's internal combustion engine industry needs to consolidate its existing advantages, focus on overcoming technological challenges, improve innovation systems, strengthen industry chain collaboration, truly move from "scale leadership" to "quality leadership", achieve higher quality development, and maintain a leading position in global competition.

Reviewed by: Hu Mingwang

Editor in Chief: Zuo Zongxin

Editor: Li Yinuo (intern)

Article source: China Industry News