On February 5, 2026, the launch event for Zhongtong Bus's full range of H-series natural gas tour and group buses was held in Urumqi, Xinjiang. Concurrently, the company unveiled its new-generation golden powertrain for natural gas buses, marking a significant step forward in Zhongtong Bus's strategic positioning within the tourism passenger transport segment and injecting new momentum into the industry's development.

　　Over the past year, the domestic commercial vehicle market has continued to recover, driven by policy incentives and a rebound in user demand. This, coupled with the accelerated expansion of the tourism passenger transport market, has created more development opportunities for the bus industry.

　　Recognizing the market's growth potential, Zhongtong Bus has made precise forecasts, deeply aligning with regional advantages and differentiated needs. The company has accelerated the pace of new product development and R&D, aiming to support the high-quality development of the national tourism passenger transport market with innovative products.

Three New Models, Three Distinct Positions, Covering All Tourism Transport Scenarios

　　With deep insight into the highly segmented nature of the passenger transport industry—including line-haul, tourism, and commuting—Zhongtong Bus launched three new natural gas tour and group bus models at this event: the H12N, H11N, and H9N. With differentiated positioning, these models provide the industry with a full-scenario tourism transport solution to meet diverse operational requirements.

　　Zhongtong H12N: The "New Benchmark for Natural Gas Buses"Positioned for high-end scenarios, the H12N offers an optional smart cockpit system featuring a 15.6-inch full-LCD central control screen that supports wake-up-free voice interaction for the driver. It is equipped with practical functions like driver fatigue monitoring and a 360-degree transparent chassis. The gas cylinder compartment features an innovative "full-flow structural design" and an "integrated, fully sealed integration scheme with the passenger area," with multiple safety solutions ensuring robust protection.

　　In terms of power and comfort, the H12N has been specifically optimized for low-temperature conditions. It features an intake air preheater and a fuel line preheating module, guaranteeing 100% cold start success even at -35°C. Combined with a high-efficiency heating system, multiple passenger area radiators, and electrically heated front windshield glass, it ensures anti-slip steps and stable cabin temperatures even in extreme -40°C environments, providing a comfortable travel experience for both driver and passengers.

　　Furthermore, the H12N utilizes multi-layer sound absorption and noise reduction processes and sealing designs. The engine idle mounting vibration isolation rate is no less than 85%, creating a quiet and comfortable cabin environment. In terms of range, the vehicle offers two choices of extra-large volume gas cylinders, achieving a range exceeding 1,600 kilometers on a single fill, completely eliminating range anxiety for long-distance operations.

　　Zhongtong H9N: The "Benchmark of Value"The H9N, positioned as a "benchmark of value," focuses on high cost-effectiveness and multi-scenario adaptability. It is the first to feature large-capacity CNG all-composite material wound cylinders, further increasing gas storage volume. By reducing the number of cylinders and pipeline connection points, it significantly lowers the risk of gas leaks and enhances operational reliability.

　　The seating layout supports flexible 2+2 or 2+1 configurations, easily adapting to diverse operational scenarios such as line-haul, tourism, and commuting. This effectively addresses the common pain point for passenger transport companies of "a single model being unable to handle multiple business types."

　　Zhongtong H11N: The "All-Round Upgrade"Focusing on the upgrade needs of high-end tourism and business commuting scenarios, the H11N achieves comprehensive advancement. It features a dual-windshield design and a taller body (up to 3695mm), offering a more spacious interior. Equipped with a high-capacity CNG cylinder and a 5.5m³ extra-large luggage compartment, it can simultaneously meet the demands of long-distance travel and substantial storage. Seat arrangements cover multiple specifications, including 10-23 seats and 24-48 seats, precisely matching various high-end operational scenarios like commuting, passenger transport, and tourism.

Golden Powertrain Empowerment: Leading the Way in Cost Reduction for Tourism Transport

　　The most significant highlight of these three new natural gas models is their next-generation golden powertrain, developed through deep collaborative R&D efforts by Zhongtong Bus, Weichai Power, FAST Transmission, and HanDe Axle. This powertrain, centered on "efficiency, energy savings, and reliability," serves as the core support for reducing carbon emissions, lowering costs, and improving efficiency, helping passenger transport companies cut operating expenses and boost profitability.

　　The Zhongtong H12N is powered by the WP10.5HNG390E62 engine. This engine features a dual-structure reliability design, significantly enhancing adaptability to extreme operating conditions and overall lifecycle reliability. Its maximum power is 14.6% higher than the previous generation, and peak torque reaches 1800 N·m, providing powerful yet smooth power output.

　　Simultaneously, through combustion system optimization and intelligent thermal management upgrades, the vehicle's fuel consumption per 100 kilometers is reduced by 1.64 kg compared to the previous generation, achieving an excellent balance between strong power and low energy consumption.

　　For high-frequency, short-distance scenarios like line-haul and commuting, both the H9N and H11N are equipped with the new-generation WP8NG300E61 engine, delivering a maximum of 320 horsepower and peak torque of 1300 N·m. The engine incorporates core technologies such as a high-strength cylinder block, isothermal stress design, solution-treated valves, and intelligent knock control. These features result in high safety coefficients, low failure rates, and excellent fuel consumption, further reducing short-distance operating costs.

　　It is worth mentioning that all three new models are paired with dedicated FAST transmissions and HanDe maintenance-free axles, achieving an optimal balance of power delivery, transmission efficiency, and energy consumption control. Taking the Zhongtong H12N as an example, based on an annual operating mileage of 100,000 kilometers, it can help users save up to RMB 50,000 in operating costs per year, precisely meeting the core demands of the tourism passenger transport industry for "efficient operation, cost reduction, and efficiency enhancement."

　　Currently, with China's cultural and tourism industry booming and the deepening of the "dual carbon" strategy, the passenger transport industry is at a critical juncture for green transformation and high-quality development.

　　The launch of Zhongtong Bus's full H-series natural gas tour and group bus models not only breaks the industry's challenge of balancing "strong power and low energy consumption" with its golden powertrain but also achieves full-scenario coverage in passenger transport with three differentiated new products. This empowers the industry to achieve value enhancement during its green transformation.