Abstract
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle industry is in a rapid development stage. Studying the domestic spatial distribution of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle industry across a country, especially the spatio-temporal evolution of the innovation level and position of each region in innovation network, will help to understand the industry’s development trends and characteristics, and avoid repeated construction. This article uses social network analysis and patent citation information of 2,971 hydrogen fuel cell vehicle related invention patents, owned by 218 micro-innovators across 25 provinces of China from 2001 to 2020, to construct China’s hydrogen fuel cell vehicle innovation network. Based on the dimensions of knowledge production, knowledge consumption, and network broker, the network positions of sample provinces in three periods divided by four main national policies are classified. The main findings are as follows. 1) In China, the total sales of hydrogen fuel cell vehicle and the development of supporting infrastructure are balanced, and a series of national and local industrial development polices have been issued. 2) China’s hydrogen fuel cell vehicle innovation network density, the proportion of universities and research institutes among the innovators, and the active degree of the eastern provinces are all becoming higher. 3) The provinces in optimal network position are all from the eastern region. Shanghai and Liaoning are gradually replaced by Beijing and Jiangsu. 4) Sichuan in the western region is the only network broker based on knowledge consumption. 5) Although Zhejiang, Tianjin, Hebei, Guangdong, and Hubei are not yet in the optimal position, they are outstanding knowledge producers. Specifically, Guangdong is likely to climb to the optimal network position in the next period. The conclusions will help China’s provinces to formulate relevant development policies to optimize industry layout and enhance collaborative innovation in the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle industry.
Highlights
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (HFCV) combines the advantages of short filling time, long continue voyage course, and truly achieving a zero-carbon emission goal during driving
It is worth noting that in the third period of China’s HFCV innovation networks, Sichuan has become the first and only broker based on knowledge consumption among sample provinces
To avoid repeated construction and blind competition existing in the China’s traditional oilfueled vehicle industry, it is important to optimize the layout of the China’s HFCV industry among provinces and to form the coordinated development of different regions based on the advantages and positions of provinces in the industry
Summary
Hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (HFCV) combines the advantages of short filling time, long continue voyage course, and truly achieving a zero-carbon emission goal during driving. HFCV is one of the important trends in the future of the vehicle industry. More and more countries, including China, have involved in the HFCV industry. Due to the immaturity of commercialization in the HFCV industry, the countrie’s focuses are still the industrial guidance and layout. The United States plans to form a hydrogen energy network based on 55 hydrogen-filling stations across 35 states, and various countries have successively introduced large-scale subsidies to support the R&D and demonstration applications of HFCV. Studying the spatial layout of HFCV industry across a country will help to optimize the resources allocation and enhance industrial international competitiveness
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