Guangxi Daily Special Edition: Yuchai: Competing on "Dual Tracks" to Provide "Green Power"

A. Traditional Driving Force: Continuously leading technological trends, market tension is increasingly strong

Recently, the integrated TBOX-T4 controller independently developed by Yuchai successfully simulated ignition start and completed cloud data collection through the terminal platform. The successful verification this time marks that Yuchai's integrated TBOX independent controller can effectively support the development and verification of new routes for Yuchai's non-road products, enhance the intelligent control level of Yuchai's independent terminals, and improve the competitiveness of its engine products.

On this year's National Science and Technology Workers' Day, Yuchai showcased its latest scientific and technological achievements, launching China's first commercially operational flexible fuel power platform and the country's first batch of National VI second-generation engines that meet the fourth-stage fuel consumption standards.

This year, Yuchai will invest 40 million yuan to reward major scientific and technological projects. It is planned that the rewards for major scientific and technological projects will reach 190 million yuan from 2023 to 2025. Over the past decade, Yuchai has led the industry's development with technological innovation, with a cumulative R&D investment reaching 10 billion yuan. Every time there is an emission upgrade, Yuchai has been the first in the domestic industry to introduce green power that meets national emission standards. It has launched China's first commercial vehicle hydrogen-burning engine, YCK05H, achieving a leap from "low-carbon" to "zero carbon" in internal combustion engine emissions.

Lin Tiejian, chief engineer of Yuchai Co., LTD., said that in recent years, Yuchai has solved many "bottleneck" problems through technological and product upgrades, created several national and global first power products, and radiated and driven the entire industrial chain to continuously move towards high-end, intelligent and green development, providing more Chinese-made products for global customers.

Since the beginning of this year, Yuchai's sales in domestic heavy-duty gas tractors, medium and heavy-duty diesel dump trucks, heavy-duty special vehicles and other niche markets have all achieved year-on-year growth of more than triple digits. In overseas markets, Yuchai, leveraging the geographical and open advantages of Guangxi, actively collaborates with original equipment manufacturers to intensify efforts in expanding overseas markets, establishes and improves a service network radiating the ASEAN market, and expands the sales of overseas engines. From January to September this year, the overseas sales of Yuchai engines increased by 25% year-on-year. Among them, the overseas sales of bus power engines rose by 120% year-on-year, and the export volume in Central Asia, Mexico and other countries and regions achieved triple-digit year-on-year growth. The overseas sales volume of Tongji Power increased by 73% year-on-year. Yuchai Heavy Industry's overseas construction machinery product revenue increased by 119% year-on-year. Jinchuang Company signed a large-scale foreign trade contract worth one million US dollars and entered the European market.

Since 2003, taking advantage of Guangxi's "one bay connecting eleven countries and promoting positive interaction among the east, central and west", Yuchai has flourished in the ASEAN market. Its cumulative export sales have soared from 5,000 units to 300,000 units, a 60-fold increase, accounting for half of Yuchai's overseas exports. In 2022, Yuchai launched a localized factory project in Thailand, collaborating with domestic strategic clients to go global. Based on the latest technology platform products, it aims to achieve localized production, manufacturing, sales and service, taking root in Thailand and radiating to ASEAN.

B. New Energy Power: Make all-out efforts to break through and surpass, and contribute to the realization of the country's "dual carbon" strategic goals

On September 27th, Yuchai Xinlan (Jiangsu) Hydrogen Energy Company officially started operation in Wuxi High-tech Zone, firing the starting gun for Yuchai to build a hydrogen energy industry chain and master core technologies for hydrogen production and utilization. At present, in addition to completing the technological, product and industrial layout in the fields of hydrogen fuel cells and hydrogen engines, Yuchai has also joined hands with Tsinghua University to establish a joint research center to jointly develop low-cost, high-efficiency and high-durability fuel cell technology and high-pressure PEM hydrogen production technology, seizing the commanding heights of the international hydrogen energy market.

On September 28th, the world's first Liugong tractor equipped with Yuchai's 350-horsepower hybrid electric drive continuously variable transmission powertrain was successfully rolled off the production line. This tractor jointly developed by Liugong and Yuchai has achieved an innovative breakthrough from zero to one, breaking the technological blockade and product monopoly of foreign continuously variable transmission tractors, and will greatly contribute to the innovative development of large-scale agricultural equipment in China.

Over the years, Yuchai has relied on the solid foundation of equipment manufacturing and auto parts industries in Guangxi, actively explored the field of new energy power systems, and completed a comprehensive layout of new energy power by focusing on the four major development directions of extended-range power, hybrid power, electric drive axles, and fuel cells. At present, Yuchai has fully mastered the core technologies of new energy, and has developed and manufactured China's largest power range extender, the world's first power-split plug-in hybrid, and the world's first hybrid electric drive continuously variable transmission powertrain (IE-POWER). To become the new energy power system supplier with the most diverse range of new energy power system types and the largest market share of commercial vehicle hybrid power in China.

Zhong Yuwei, senior vice president of Yuchai Corporation, said: From January to September 2023, the sales volume of Yuchai's new energy products increased by more than 30% year-on-year. In the future, Yuchai Xinlan Company will focus on the strategic guideline of moving from low-carbon to zero-carbon, focusing on hybrid power, making up for pure electric drive, and developing hydrogen energy power. It will further improve the product chain layout, enhance the market competitiveness of new energy power with higher-quality products, and expand the new energy power track of Yuchai. Contribute to the realization of Yuchai's medium and long-term strategic goals and the country's "dual carbon" strategic goals.

C. Process equipment technology: Replacing guns with cannons, providing support for competing in the "dual tracks"

No matter how good the genes and technical solutions of an engine product are, if the process technology and equipment level do not keep up, it is still impossible to produce first-class products.

In recent years, Yuchai Co., Ltd. has been guided by digitalization, networking and intelligent manufacturing, and has taken the experience of intelligent construction practice as its soft power. Through the high integration of "soft power + hardware", it has continuously maintained a leading level of process technology. Among them, by focusing on the development of intelligent numerical control systems, industrial robots, 3D printing, servo control, intelligent detection, and precision transmission devices and other intelligent manufacturing equipment, the first intelligent mold-free casting island in China has been created. Accelerate the research and development of key process technologies, promote the transformation of products towards high reliability and lightweight, and focus on achieving breakthroughs in areas such as the development and processing technology of high-grade cast iron materials, weather-resistant and environmentally friendly water-based paint coating technology, high-reliability full-shaft tightening technology, low-carbon cold testing technology, and the application of process big data. Strengthen the construction of process testing capabilities, enhance the industry-leading integrated process development testing capabilities covering the entire process of casting, processing and assembly, and cultivate world-class process technology team talents. At the National Mechanical and Electrical Enterprise Process Annual Conference held on October 12, 2023, Yuchai Co., Ltd. was awarded the honorary title of "Top 100 Manufacturing Process Innovation Base".

Yuchai has built a "dark factory" integrating automation, flexibility, informatization, intelligence and environmental protection. It has achieved digitalization, automation and unmanned operation throughout the entire process of engine manufacturing, from order scheduling to product delivery. The intelligence of Yuchai's equipment is approaching the level of advanced countries in the world, promoting a qualitative leap in Yuchai's product manufacturing capacity.