China rolls out first hydrogen-powered, eco-friendly trains

China has what it claims is the world’s only hydrogen-powered train for urban environments. The eco-friendly carriages rolled off the line on the 18th of January 2023 in the country’s southwestern city of Chengdu, Sichuan province, with an estimated top speed of 160 kilometres per hour, according to a recent report by Chinese state media.…

Chinese scientists create new ultra-strong, stretchy super steel

A team of Chinese scientists has created a new ultra-strong, ultra-ductile steel that is so strong a fingernail-sized piece can support two tonnes without failing. The metal is well-suited to several industrial applications, including aerospace, motor vehicles, military and heavy machinery. Jointly developed by Northwestern University in Shenyang, the Shenyang National Laboratory for Materials Science,…

Chinese JV set to upset global compact sports utility vehicle market

A Chinese automotive joint venture between three of the country’s most successful brands is gearing up to launch an all-wheel-drive mini electric SUV set to disrupt the global compact SUV market. Developed by SAIC-GM-Wuling, the KiWi mini EV SUV, the compact off-roader, enters the relatively new market segment fresh off the heels of its predecessor,…

China launches mega complex to further develop autonomous vehicles

Beijing-based TikTok owner ByteDance’s artificial intelligence startup, Haomo.AI, has unveiled a new infrastructure platform to supercharge China’s burgeoning autonomous driving industry. Jointly developed by fellow ByteDance cloud services subsidiary, Volcano Engine, the data centre Mana Oasis is the largest computer complex dedicated to autonomous driving, with an estimated computing power of 670 petaflops. Haomo.AI was…

Chinese scientists work on drones that fly forever

A group of Chinese scientists is experimenting with lasers that keep drones airborne forever. The researchers, representing the country’s Northwestern Polytechnical University (NPU), say their method uses high-energy beams that prevent the drone’s batteries from depleting. Drone technology has enjoyed a rapid rise in recent years and subsequently grown into a multi-billion dollar industry. Optics-Driven…

China installs natural direct cooling system in a world-first

Chinese officials claim to have installed the world’s first operational “natural-direct cooling” (NDC) system for a power plant in the country’s north-central province of Shaanxi. Hailed as a milestone achievement for the industry, the novel cooling method could prevent as many as 54 000 tons of harmful carbon emissions from leaching into the atmosphere yearly.…

Chinese scientists produce hydrogen fuel from seawater

Chemical engineers from China have constructed a unique mechanical instrument that splits seawater and isolates pure hydrogen. Typical hydrogen production methods utilise fossil fuels, emitting significant amounts of greenhouse gases during the process. Hydrogen fuel can be produced from renewable resources, like seawater, and once isolated in its natural state, is one of the greenest…

New Chinese technology delivers stunning space X-ray images

Chinese researchers successfully tested the world’s first “lobster eye” telescope that will produce some of the most accurate X-ray images of the known universe. The sophisticated imaging device was inspired by lobsters and other similar crustaceans whose specialised eye structure allows the ocean-dwelling creatures to see clearly in dark or murky waters. Animals like lobster…

China delivers world’s largest wind turbine

Chinese engineers have unveiled a massive 16-megawatt wind turbine, powerful enough to generate and deliver clean electricity to more than 36 000 households yearly. Jointly developed by two of the country’s most prominent industry players, the turbine’s developers claimed it is the largest ever built and that it affirms China’s position as a leader in…