On May 19, 2023, the 13th Thousand-Person Gobi International Business Elite Gobi Experience Tour, held in Dunhuang, successfully concluded. Over 2,000 Gobi warriors, after enduring a grueling 4-day, 3-night, 108-kilometer trek across the Gobi Desert, reached the finish line with the pride of victors, achieving personal transformation.
The harsh and scorching weather of May in the northwest, the complex and varied terrain, and the dust-filled tornadoes… The extreme conditions of the desert and Gobi tested not only these indomitable warriors but also the support vehicles that served throughout the event. These included over 60 11-meter tourist buses equipped with Yuchai K08 engines, as well as a fleet of Schieuder Tatra off-road RVs and Zhengzhou Nissan Rich diesel pickup trucks, all powered by Yuchai engines.
The "Thousand-Person Gobi" Silk Road (Dunhuang) International Hiking Festival is an officially recommended outdoor brand event. Having successfully held 12 editions, it has accumulated 70,257 registrations, 30,000 participants, and a brand influence reaching 60 million people. It is one of the largest entrepreneur Gobi hiking events in Dunhuang. Since the event's inception, Yuchai Machinery has served this outdoor brand for six consecutive years. With participant numbers continually reaching new highs, the organizing committee’s volunteer team of over a hundred people, along with staff responsible for accommodation, food, and medical services, must arrive at the day’s endpoint before the participants to set up temporary camps, ensuring the hikers can rest well at night. Seven tourist bus companies, including Dunhuang Tourism Bus Co., Ltd., Dunhuang Culture and Tourism Transportation Co., Ltd., and Dunhuang Guangming Tourism Bus Co., Ltd., participated in the event’s service and support.
The Yuchai K08 engine, primarily equipped in the service buses for this event, is China’s first engine to receive the China VI-b certification. With a power range of 280 to 350 horsepower and a maximum torque of 1450 Nm, it is the lightest and most torque-dense engine in its class, fully covering the operational scenarios of tourist buses. It has been integrated into 9 to 11-meter tourist bus models from mainstream manufacturers such as Yutong, Xiamen King Long, Xiamen Golden Dragon, Suzhou King Long, Foton AUV, and Ankai, delivering excellent performance in tourist regions like Hubei, Xinjiang, Gansu, and Qinghai.
A refreshing sight at the event was the appearance of Schieuder Tatra off-road RVs equipped with Yuchai K08 engines. A blue and white pair raced across the Gobi, providing comfort and support to injured participants along the way. In an interview at the end of the hike, Song Xianlei, Chairman of Nantong Schieuder Automotive Technology Co., Ltd., stated that this service for the Thousand-Person Gobi event also served as a deep evaluation of the engine’s performance in desert conditions. He emphasized the engine’s strong burst power and high-temperature resistance.
In fact, the Yuchai K08 engine outperformed three imported brands previously used by Schieuder. Currently, Yuchai is the primary engine configuration for Schieuder due to its adaptability to domestic fuel and its robust, rapid after-sales service network, especially the full-coverage service advantage in the RV sector. Song noted that most Schieuder RV customers use their vehicles for adventure tourism, off-road travel, and outdoor photography, with positive feedback, particularly regarding the engine’s burst power.
Also present at the event were several Zhengzhou Nissan Rich pickup trucks, which have served the "Thousand-Person Gobi" event multiple times. Driver Lao Ma, piloting a Rich pickup for the third time, provided emergency services to participants during the event. The Rich pickup, equipped with the Yuchai Y24 engine, is known for its fuel efficiency and high power, making it ideal for the Gobi. The 2.4T inline four-cylinder engine delivers a maximum power output of 165 horsepower and a low-speed torque of 280 Nm, giving the vehicle excellent burst power to handle complex terrains. Lao Ma mentioned that the Rich pickup has served him well in the deserts and Gobi of the northwest for three years, with fuel consumption around 8-8.9L in the Gobi and 6L on Gobi roads, saving him significant costs.
Yuchai Machinery, with its high-temperature resistance, strong power, and comfort, easily handles extreme environments like deserts and the Gobi, earning praise from organizers, volunteers, and international hikers alike.
"Pushing to the limit, turning ideals into reality." This phrase not only describes the Gobi warriors but also encapsulates the spirit of Yuchai Machinery, which escorts every extreme hiking event. On the path to providing safe and comfortable travel solutions for the public, Yuchai continues to forge ahead, embodying the "heart of the brave" and telling more stories of "Made in China" along the new Silk Road of Dunhuang, where Eastern and Western civilizations converge.