Hyundai heralds hydrogen ambitions

Hyundai is intensifying its efforts in hydrogen fuel cell technology, stating it doesn't just want to produce hydrogen-powered cars and trucks but be a key player at every stage of the 'hydrogen value chain'.

And with Australia's significant potential for hydrogen production, we're in a prime position to capitalise on the emerging global hydrogen network, while playing an instrumental role in decarbonising the planet.

Those sentiments were expressed by senior Hyundai Commercial Vehicles executives at a recent online international press conference marking the first deliveries of the Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell – the world's first mass produced and commercially available hydrogen fuel cell truck.

The delivery of the Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell to customers in Switzerland marks the arrival of the brand's commercial vehicle division in Europe. And while Hyundai wants to expand its hydrogen truck and car footprint throughout Europe, the US, and China this decade, its plans go far beyond the production of fuel cell transport.

"We want to be a driving force to build a truly green society by decarbonising the entire hydrogen value chain," said Hyundai Commercial Vehicles Executive Vice President (and former Hyundai Australia CEO), In Cheol Lee.

Hyundai is forming partnerships in markets around the globe that will cover virtually all aspects of the emerging hydrogen network, from research and development to hydrogen production, refuelling infrastructure, hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), and more.

"We are aiming much higher to become an FCEV solutions provider by creating a business cluster across the entire hydrogen eco-system," said Mr Lee.

"That is why we have said we will be a system company; we will provide our systems to any customers who wish to use our fuel cell systems.

"The Hyundai Motor Group is the only company with the will, the capacity, and the infrastructure to achieve a hydrogen society."

And while Australia's own hydrogen infrastructure is in its infancy, with just two stations currently in operation (one owned by Hyundai, the other by Toyota), Hyundai says our nation is perfectly placed to play a major role as a hydrogen producer and exporter.

"Australia has large potential," said Dr Sa Hoon Kim, Senior Vice President of Hyundai Fuel Cell R&D.

"You have good sunshine in the desert and you have really good winds from the South Pole. We think that Australia has one of the biggest potentials for creating hydrogen."

Dr Kim said that in future South Korea would look to Australia to help meet its hydrogen needs.

"Actually, Australia is the number one country where we [South Korea] want to purchase hydrogen from," he said.

"Your hydrogen costs will be the cheapest in the world soon; the South Korean and Australian governments have signed an MOU [memorandum of understanding] to import hydrogen from Australia."

Dr Kim said Australia's close proximity to major Asian markets would also help keep export costs low.

Hyundai is no late arrival to the hydrogen fuel cell stage: it began research and development in the late 1990s, has been touting the benefits of the energy source for years, and has already produced several fuel cell passenger car models.

Now it says it hopes to have 1600 Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks operating in Europe by 2025, rising to 25,000 fuel cell trucks by 2030, the figure also including a next-generation heavy-duty platform due to arrive in 2024.

It's also forecasting the delivery of over 12,000 fuel cell trucks to the US by 2030, and 27,000 to China by the same year.

The Hyundai XCIENT utilises two of the fuel cell stacks found in Hyundai's NEXO SUV, while the company says its passenger car and truck fuel cell programs are working "hand in hand", with the larger volume of FCEV cars helping to lower development costs for its FCEV trucks.

In turn, Hyundai says the higher and more consistent fuel volumes required by commercial vehicles make for a far stronger business case for developing hydrogen refuelling infrastructure – infrastructure that FCEV passenger cars can then use, further promoting the growth of hydrogen cars.

"It is not that truck will go first and passenger car later, or passenger car first and truck later – we can benefit from both," said Dr Kim.

"For the hydrogen industry, bus or truck is very attractive because a lot of hydrogen can be sold [for commercial vehicles] at one place, but for the fuel cell tech industry, if you only put your fuel cell stack in trucks it is very limited.

"That is why we are using our stack in passenger vehicles, trucks, ships, rail and in back-up power – we are trying to use this technology everywhere we can."