Hyundai wants fuel cell versions of commercial vehicles by 2028

The Hyundai Motor Group plans to develop hydrogen gas cell variations of all its industrial automobile fashions by the 12 months 2028, with the agency additionally seeking to introduce a “subsequent era fuel-cell system” in 2023.

In an announcement Tuesday, the South Korean automotive big stated its purpose was to “obtain a gas cell automobile worth level akin to a battery electrical automobile by 2030.” This ambition applies to each passenger automobiles and industrial automobiles.

The Seoul-headquartered group has a long time of expertise within the sector, having developed its first fuel-cell electrical automobile in 1998. Extra just lately, it launched the XCIENT Gas Cell, a heavy-duty truck, in 2020. A fuel-cell SUV, the NEXO, was launched in 2018.

On the fuel-cell entrance, Hyundai stated its subsequent era system would are available 100 kilowatt and 200 kilowatt variations “with prices being lowered by greater than 50%, complete package deal quantity lowered by 30% and energy output doubled.”

Described by the Worldwide Vitality Company as a “versatile vitality service,” hydrogen has a various vary of purposes and may be deployed in sectors akin to business and transport. Gas cells harness the chemical vitality of hydrogen to generate electrical energy, which then powers the automobile.

Whereas there may be plenty of speak concerning the potential of hydrogen gas cell automobiles, there are additionally plenty of hurdles the expertise wants to beat if they’re to develop right into a mainstream choice for drivers.

The U.S. authorities, for instance, has cited plenty of challenges. These vary from the sturdiness and reliability of gas cells to automobile price. “The present infrastructure for producing and getting hydrogen to shoppers can not but assist the widespread adoption of FCVs,” it provides.

Regardless of the above, Hyundai is one in every of a number of massive firms seeking to develop hydrogen gas cell choices for highway transport.

In June, the BMW Group stated it had began to check automobiles that use a hydrogen gas cell drivetrain. It described hydrogen gas cell tech as having the “long run potential to complement inside combustion engines, plug-in hybrid programs and battery-electric automobiles.”

The identical month noticed Jaguar Land Rover announce it was engaged on the prototype of a hydrogen gas cell electrical automobile.

The corporate, which is owned by Tata Motors, stated gas cell electrical automobiles have been “complimentary to battery electrical automobiles … on the journey to internet zero automobile emissions.”

Different companies to have dipped into the hydrogen gas cell market embody Toyota and Honda, whereas smaller corporations akin to Riversimple are additionally engaged on hydrogen-powered automobiles.