Effects of ZrO 2 addition to the Au/CeO 2 and the pretreatment methods of the catalysts on the partial oxidation of methanol (POM) were investigated. ZrO 2 addition to Au/CeO 2 catalyst led to (i) formation of a Ce 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 solid solution; (ii) enhancement of lattice oxygen reducibility of the Ce 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 support; and (iii) formation of surface Au δ+ (δ = 1 or 3) species coexisting with Au 0 nanoparticles. Catalytic evaluation showed that the highest hydrogen selectivity was achieved over Au/Ce 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 at 270 °C. The reductive pretreatment could improve the hydrogen selectivity and methanol conversion as well. At higher reaction temperature Au δ+ clusters in Au/ Ce 0.5 Zr 0.5 O 2 catalyst activated the O-H bond in the adsorbed CH 3 -O δ− -H δ+ due to the interaction between Au δ+ and O δ− -H δ+ of methanol that favors the release of H + proton, and thus benefits the H 2 selectivity enhancement. Some oxygen vacancies in the catalysts evidenced by XPS analysis participated in the formation of active surface oxygen species that promoted CO oxidation to CO 2 on Au 0 nanoparticles A reaction mechanism of POM involving in the methanol surface adsorption on Au δ+ species, O-H bond activation, and CO oxidation on Au 0 nanoparticles and oxygen defects was proposed.