Organizing Hydrogen Industry Council and Holding Regular Meetings
Hyundai Motor Company is teaming up with local governments in Ulsan, South Korea, and Guangzhou, China, to create a hydrogen ecosystem. Since the hydrogen industry is just taking its first steps, they have decided to join forces with leading hydrogen industry local governments in Korea and China to expand the industrial ecosystem.
On the 25th, Hyundai Motor signed a business agreement containing these details at the Garden Hotel in Guangzhou, China, with Ulsan Metropolitan City and Guangzhou City, in the presence of CEO Jang Jae-hoon. Attendees at the signing ceremony included CEO Jang, Guangzhou Mayor Sun Ziyang, Ulsan Mayor Kim Doo-gyeom, and Kang Sang-wook, the Korean Consul General in Guangzhou.
At the completion ceremony of H2U Guangzhou held in Guangzhou, China, last June, attendees are participating in the ceremony. It is Hyundai Motor Company's first hydrogen fuel cell production plant established overseas. Photo by Hyundai Motor Company
These companies and local governments will share leading cases of hydrogen ecosystem construction and hold hydrogen forums, while discovering demonstration projects across the entire cycle of hydrogen energy production, supply, and utilization. They will also conduct joint research projects among industry, academia, and research institutes to secure hydrogen technology competitiveness.
To this end, they will form a ‘Hydrogen Industry Council’ and hold regular quarterly meetings. Hyundai Motor stated that through this agreement, it will help Ulsan and Guangzhou successfully carry out various hydrogen projects each city is pursuing and solidify their positions as leading cities.
Ulsan and Guangzhou are recognized as representative hydrogen cities in Korea and China. Ulsan is Hyundai Motor’s largest production base and was the first local government nationwide to be selected as a hydrogen pilot city by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport in 2019. It is praised for leading the distribution of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles as well as the establishment of charging infrastructure. The world’s first mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell passenger car was also produced at Hyundai Motor’s Ulsan plant.
Guangdong Province, where Guangzhou is located, was designated in 2021 as one of China’s five pilot regions for hydrogen vehicles by the Chinese government. Guangzhou City announced a blueprint to grow into China’s most advanced hydrogen fuel cell vehicle hub by 2025, strengthening the hydrogen industry value chain. Hyundai Motor’s first overseas hydrogen fuel cell system factory, HTWO Guangzhou, is also located here.
Hyundai Motor Company's hydrogen electric vehicle concept car Inisium. Provided by Hyundai Motor Company
Hyundai Motor has conducted various projects individually with the two cities so far. This agreement connects the three parties, enabling the expansion of a cooperative system. HTWO Guangzhou supplied 500 hydrogen fuel cell systems last year for 4.5-ton refrigerated logistics trucks and street sweepers locally. They plan to supply more than 1,000 additional units by next year.
As with other energy industries, strengthening cooperation in various ways to achieve economies of scale is considered a top priority for the hydrogen industry to expand. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles have fewer charging inconveniences and can be made lighter compared to battery electric vehicles, but demand is not yet sufficient for mass production, so production costs have not decreased. Hydrogen itself is also still expensive due to insufficient supply. The industry expects that increasing demand in various areas, including hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, will lower overall costs.
CEO Jang Jae-hoon said, "Ulsan City is working with Hyundai Motor to expand hydrogen infrastructure and various hydrogen mobility, and Guangzhou has Hyundai Motor’s first and only overseas hydrogen fuel cell system production base." He added, "Hyundai Motor will work together to help both places grow into global leading hydrogen cities."
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