Hydrogen cell-powered and electric bicycles are drawing crowds and clinching deals at the ongoing 137th Canton Fair, as manufacturers showcase cutting-edge green technologies reshaping global supply chains.
The 137th edition of the Canton Fair, officially known as the China Import and Export Fair, kicked off in Guangzhou City of south China's Guangdong Province on Tuesday. An exhibition area at the fair for service robots was packed with visitors. The zone was set up for the first time at the fair. It is in operation during phase I of the fair, themed advanced manufacturing.
The intelligent exhibition zone features over 1,100 participating enterprises showcasing more than 320,000 smart products, according to official statistics.
One of the hydrogen cell-powered and electric bicycles on display at the fair is a zero-emission scooter developed by a Chinese tech firm. It offers three modes: manual pedaling, hydrogen-assisted riding, and a hybrid mode. When activated, the latter two modes will convert hydrogen from a compact storage canister -- roughly the size of a water bottle -- into electricity via a fuel cell.
This not only powers the bike but also charges an integrated lithium battery for additional energy reserves.
A single canister, capable of storing hydrogen at 200 liters, or 500 times its volume, provides a range of 40-60 kilometers. Crucially, the production process relies solely on purified water, emitting no harmful pollutants during operation.
The innovation has sparked significant interest among international buyers.
"It's like a unique innovation, and we really, really like the concept. We are looking forward to doing some businesses here," said a purchaser.
"Many customers from India, Japan and Europe said they want to come over and have a look. We would like to hear more voices from abroad, so that we can update our products based on market demand. This is our fourth time to come to the fair, and we've actually gained a lot," said Fang Xinyu, the hydrogen-powered scooter exhibitor.
Nearby, another electric bicycle and scooter booth is exhibiting over a dozen self-designed models, including foldable bikes, scooters and all-terrain vehicles (ATV).
He Wu, the company's representative, emphasized heavy investment in R-and-D, claiming that all exhibits at their booth own independent intellectual property rights.
About 30 percent of human cost is spent on research and development, he said.
The push for homegrown brands aligns with China's broader trade trends. Official data reveal that the exports of self-owned brand products surged 10.2 percent year on year in the first quarter of 2025, accounting for 22.8 percent of total export value.
The current edition of the fair features over 17,000 exhibitors with proprietary brands and nearly 22,000 companies holding international certifications, a testament to the country's ambition to ascend on global supply chains.
Established in 1957, the Canton Fair is held twice a year in Guangzhou. It is the longest-running of several comprehensive international trade events in China and has been hailed as a barometer of China's foreign trade.
Green technology shines at Canton Fair as hydrogen bikes emerge popular
