The dominant position of pure electric vehicles in the passenger car field is unshakable. Their core competitiveness lies in the extremely low cost of use—only about 0.015 US dollars per kilometer, far lower than the 0.09 to 0.15 US dollars per kilometer of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Data show that in 2026, China’s new energy passenger cars accounted for as high as 62.8% of the global market, with a domestic penetration rate exceeding 50%, becoming the first choice for household and urban commuting markets. Whether it is commuting in first-tier cities or family cars in second and third-tier cities, pure electric vehicles have won more and more consumers’ favor with their advantages of quietness and intelligence. At the same time, the continuous improvement of charging infrastructure has further alleviated users’ range anxiety and promoted the continuous deepening of the pure electric route in the terminal market. Hybrid power (including plug-in hybrid and extended-range hybrid) plays a key role as a “transition bridge”. In areas with insufficient coverage of charging networks, its market adaptability is prominent. Data show that the sales growth rate of plug-in hybrid models can reach 2.3 times that of pure electric vehicles. Automobile manufacturers represented by Toyota have perfectly balanced fuel economy and range anxiety by increasing the thermal efficiency of internal combustion engines to 45%, allowing users to enjoy the smoothness of electric motor drive without worrying about the range during long-distance travel. For users who often travel between cities and have inconvenient charging, hybrid models are undoubtedly the most practical choice at this stage. Unlike pure electric and hybrid power, the future focus of hydrogen energy is not on passenger cars, but on commercial vehicles. As the world’s largest hydrogen producer, China has an annual production capacity of 33 million tons. Relying on this industrial foundation, the ownership of hydrogen fuel cell heavy trucks soared by 263% in 2025, showing unique advantages in heavy-duty scenarios that are difficult for electric vehicles to cover, such as long-distance freight and port operations. The characteristics of fast hydrogen refueling, long range and zero emissions of hydrogen heavy trucks are perfectly suitable for the needs of heavy-duty transportation, forming a complementary pattern of “each showing its strengths and not conflicting with each other” with the pure electric route. The formation of this diversified power pattern also stems from the pragmatic adjustment of global policies. The European Union adjusted its 2035 goal of “completely banning the sale of fuel vehicles” to a 90% reduction in new car emissions, leaving room for the transition of hybrid technology; while countries such as Spain have firmly promoted electrification, planning to invest 400 million euros in car purchase subsidies, aiming to achieve 95% of new car production being electric vehicles by 2035. The differentiated guidance of policies has further promoted the diversified development of power technology. For consumers, the diversified power pattern means more choices, and there is no need to worry about “choosing between pure electric and fuel vehicles”; for automobile manufacturers, the parallel development of multiple technical routes can not only avoid the risks of a single technology, but also accurately match the needs of different markets. In the future, with the continuous iteration of technology, pure electric, hybrid and hydrogen energy will continue to deepen in their respective fields, forming a more complete industrial ecology and promoting the automobile industry to develop in a greener, more efficient and more diversified direction.
