On a bustling street in Chengdu, Sichuan province, Wang Yue takes out her phone and scans a QR code to unlock a blue two-wheeler. Within seconds, she’s gliding down the road on what locals affectionately call a “hydrogen pony”.

“The ride is smooth and stable, just like a regular electric bike. But it runs on hydrogen … it’s so cool!” said Wang, a resident of Chengdu’s Xindu district.

Since its launch in August, the hydrogen-powered shared bike, developed by Xindu-based startup Qinglv Technology, has been rapidly gaining popularity across the district as a clean, convenient option for short trips.

A ride costs 2.5 yuan (36 cents) for the first 10 minutes. After that, an additional one yuan is charged for every five minutes. To date, the company has deployed 11,000 of the bikes in Xindu, amassing over 550,000 registered users and providing more than 3.5 million rides — a rare case of large-scale commercial operation in the sector.