On the 7th, Hyundai Motors signed a ‘Hydrogen Mobility Leading City Seoul Creation MOU’ with the Seoul City, the Ministry of Environment, SK E&S, and Tmap Mobility at the Seoul City Hall, aiming to transition the city’s buses, including city buses, airport buses, and commuter buses, to hydrogen buses.
This event was attended by Hyundai Motor President Jang Jae-hoon, Minister of Environment Hanwha-jin, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon, SK E&S President Chu Hyung-wook, and Tmap Mobility President Lee Jong-ho.
Through this collaboration, the city aims to convert over 1,300 public transport vehicles, including about 300 airport buses, into hydrogen buses by 2026 and establish five dedicated bus charging stations. The Ministry of Environment will provide administrative and financial support for the transition to hydrogen buses.
Hyundai plans to produce and supply low-floor and high-floor hydrogen buses as part of the city’s hydrogen bus conversion goal, including airport buses, in a timely manner by 2026.
SK E&S will work towards stable liquefied hydrogen production and supply, as well as building charging infrastructure, while Tmap Mobility will assist in the early transition of diesel airport buses to hydrogen buses.
President Jang Jae-hoon stated, “We are committed to continuously advancing the development of hydrogen commercial vehicles, such as buses and trucks, and launching a diverse lineup in the market while promoting resource recycling hydrogen production using biogas in the domestic hydrogen energy value chain.”
He added, “I hope that this MOU will serve as an opportunity for more people to experience the safety and eco-friendliness of hydrogen through the transition of the city’s public transport to hydrogen buses.”
The hydrogen buses that Hyundai is promoting have a charging time of under 30 minutes, which is shorter than electric buses, and a driving range comparable to internal combustion engine vehicles, exceeding 600 km, making them suitable for public transport buses.
They are also advantageous in enhancing the eco-friendliness of buses operating long-distance routes, including airport buses. Since 2020, Hyundai has been supplying hydrogen buses for city routes in Seoul and plans to supply high-floor hydrogen buses for airport use within the year.
A Hyundai representative stated, “Through this agreement, we expect that converting not only regular city buses but also airport buses that are currently operating on diesel for long-distance routes to eco-friendly hydrogen buses will significantly enhance the environmental sustainability of public transport and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”
Hyundai will continue to expand its production capacity for timely supply of hydrogen buses, and it plans to actively contribute to the domestic hydrogen ecosystem, including the establishment of a clean hydrogen production facility utilizing biogas with a daily capacity of 500 kg.
Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr