Hyundai aims at 2028 for fuel-cell commercial vehicles
07 September 2021 - 09:36
byJoyce Lee and Heekyong Yang
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Seoul — Hyundai says it plans to offer hydrogen fuel-cell versions for all its commercial vehicles by 2028 and will cut the price of fuel-cell vehicles to battery electric levels two years later.
The motor group, which comprises Hyundai and Kia, currently has one fuel-cell bus and one fuel-cell truck, the Xcient Hyundai, on the market. There are 115 of the buses on the road in South Korea and 45 of the trucks in operation after they were rolled out in Switzerland last year.
The two South Korean carmakers together offer 20 models of commercial vehicles including trucks, buses and vans, and sold about 287,000 last year.
The group, whose only other fuel-cell vehicle on the market is Hyundai’s Nexo SUV, also said it will develop fuel-cell vehicles for Kia and its premium Genesis brand, which could be launched after 2025. It did not mention specific targets for fuel-cell versions of passenger vehicle models.
The plans are measured ambitions to push ahead with hydrogen technology despite its relative niche status, while the carmakers also expand their battery electric vehicle line-up.
Advocates assert that hydrogen fuel cells are cleaner than other carbon-cutting methods as they only emit water and heat, but the technology has only seen limited use in the car industry amid concerns about high costs, the bulky size of fuel-cell systems, the lack of fuelling stations, resale values and the risk of hydrogen explosions.
Industry-wide, about 10,000-15,000 fuel-cell vehicles are produced globally a year, compared to 4-million to 5-million electric vehicles, Hyundai said.
Other carmakers pursuing hydrogen fuel-cell technology include Toyota, BMW and Daimler. They have been encouraged as Europe and China have set ambitious emission reduction targets and talk of hydrogen infrastructure support increases.
Hyundai also said it also plans to employ hydrogen fuel-cell technology in other areas such as autonomous container transport.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Hyundai aims at 2028 for fuel-cell commercial vehicles
Seoul — Hyundai says it plans to offer hydrogen fuel-cell versions for all its commercial vehicles by 2028 and will cut the price of fuel-cell vehicles to battery electric levels two years later.
The motor group, which comprises Hyundai and Kia, currently has one fuel-cell bus and one fuel-cell truck, the Xcient Hyundai, on the market. There are 115 of the buses on the road in South Korea and 45 of the trucks in operation after they were rolled out in Switzerland last year.
The two South Korean carmakers together offer 20 models of commercial vehicles including trucks, buses and vans, and sold about 287,000 last year.
The group, whose only other fuel-cell vehicle on the market is Hyundai’s Nexo SUV, also said it will develop fuel-cell vehicles for Kia and its premium Genesis brand, which could be launched after 2025. It did not mention specific targets for fuel-cell versions of passenger vehicle models.
The plans are measured ambitions to push ahead with hydrogen technology despite its relative niche status, while the carmakers also expand their battery electric vehicle line-up.
Advocates assert that hydrogen fuel cells are cleaner than other carbon-cutting methods as they only emit water and heat, but the technology has only seen limited use in the car industry amid concerns about high costs, the bulky size of fuel-cell systems, the lack of fuelling stations, resale values and the risk of hydrogen explosions.
Industry-wide, about 10,000-15,000 fuel-cell vehicles are produced globally a year, compared to 4-million to 5-million electric vehicles, Hyundai said.
Other carmakers pursuing hydrogen fuel-cell technology include Toyota, BMW and Daimler. They have been encouraged as Europe and China have set ambitious emission reduction targets and talk of hydrogen infrastructure support increases.
Hyundai also said it also plans to employ hydrogen fuel-cell technology in other areas such as autonomous container transport.
Reuters
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