• • Cu/ZnO/ZrO2-0.7 catalyst achieved a methanol space-time yield (STY) of 162.7 g/(kg·h) at 250 °C and 3.0 MPa, which is 6.6 times higher than the unmodified ZnO-ZrO2 solid solution (24.8 g/(kg·h)), demonstrating a significant activity boost for low-temperature CO2 hydrogenation.
• • The optimal Cu molar ratio is 0.7 (Cu/(Cu+Zn+Zr)); catalysts with lower (0.3) or higher (0.9) Cu content exhibited inferior performance, indicating a narrow compositional window for maximizing methanol yield.
• • Cu introduction induces a coexisting structure of solid solution and individual metal oxides, and enriches medium-strength basic sites, which are critical for CO2 adsorption and activation, as confirmed by structural characterizations.
• • The Cu/ZnO/ZrO2-0.7 catalyst maintained outstanding stability over 30 h of time-on-stream at 250 °C, underscoring its potential for industrial application where long-term durability is essential.