Seoul City-Hyundai Motor Sign MOU to Promote Hydrogen Electric Vehicle Adoption

Collaboration to Expand Eco-Friendly Vehicles Such as Hydrogen Charging Stations and Hydrogen Buses

On the 31st of last month, Park Won-soon, Mayor of Seoul (pictured right), and Gong Young-woon, President of Hyundai Motor Company, are taking a commemorative photo after signing a Memorandum of Understanding on the promotion of eco-friendly hydrogen electric vehicles and hydrogen charging infrastructure at Seoul City Hall.

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo In-kyung] Seoul Metropolitan Government and Hyundai Motor Company have agreed to cooperate in establishing a hydrogen industry ecosystem by making eco-friendly hydrogen a new growth engine for the future economy. Based on Hyundai's excellent technology and Seoul's pioneering hydrogen-related projects, they will expand hydrogen electric vehicles and charging stations and foster the hydrogen industry.

Seoul announced on the 1st that Mayor Park Won-soon met with Hyundai Motor President Gong Young-woon on the 31st of last month to discuss ways to revitalize the hydrogen economy and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the distribution of eco-friendly hydrogen electric vehicles and hydrogen charging infrastructure. The purpose is to mutually cooperate to reduce fine dust and activate the hydrogen economy.

The main contents of the agreement include ▲expansion of hydrogen charging stations and infrastructure ▲production and distribution of hydrogen electric vehicles ▲activation of hydrogen electric vehicles ▲improvement of public awareness, with active cooperation through a public-private governance approach.

In particular, this agreement is significant in that it has prepared a plan to distribute industrial vehicles such as cargo, construction, machinery, and cleaning vehicles?previously a blind spot in eco-friendliness due to technical issues?as hydrogen electric vehicles. This opens a path to eco-friendliness for industrial vehicles, which were major contributors to air pollution but difficult to improve.

Additionally, by securing the usage period and after-sales service system for stacks (generators), the core components of hydrogen vehicles, the difficulties in operating hydrogen buses have been resolved, laying the foundation for stable introduction and expansion of hydrogen buses on regular routes.

Seoul plans to accelerate the activation of the hydrogen economy by cooperating with Hyundai to significantly expand the infrastructure of hydrogen charging stations and the distribution of hydrogen vehicles beyond the existing targets.

Mayor Park Won-soon of Seoul said, "We expect synergy effects in creating a hydrogen industry ecosystem by combining Hyundai's world-class technology and Seoul's institutional support," adding, "We will prioritize the distribution of hydrogen vehicles in the public sector and support various measures to promote hydrogen vehicle purchases, nurturing Seoul as a forward base for hydrogen economy activation."