Hydrogen Truck Competition Heats Up... Hyundai Motor's Overwhelming Technology in Hydrogen Commercial Vehicles

Global Hydrogen Commercial Vehicle Market Competition Intensifies
Hyundai Motor Achieves Visible Results in Exports Based on Technology
Europe, North America, China Unveil Hydrogen Truck Roadmaps
Establishing Annual Production System of 2,000 Hydrogen Trucks Next Year

[Asia Economy Reporter Suyeon Woo] As competition in the global hydrogen fuel cell truck market intensifies, Hyundai Motor Company is achieving tangible results based on its overwhelming technological prowess. Hyundai has established a strategy to dominate the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle market in the global long-haul transportation vehicle sector by leveraging hydrogen’s advantages of short refueling time and light weight.

Recently, the startup Nikola, which once attracted attention in the financial market as the 'second Tesla,' stirred the world because many recognized the potential of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the commercial vehicle market. However, Nikola revealed its limitation of lacking technological substance despite presenting infinite possibilities. Toyota, a direct competitor of Hyundai, is also actively developing hydrogen fuel cell trucks for entry into the U.S. market, but visible results are expected only in the first half of next year.

Meanwhile, Hyundai is steadily realizing its goals in the hydrogen commercial vehicle market. After successfully mass-producing the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell truck in July, Hyundai recently completed the initial delivery of export vehicles to Europe. Starting next year, Hyundai plans to establish an annual mass production system of 2,000 units and pursue the global hydrogen fuel cell truck market with a concrete roadmap.

The market showing the earliest results is Europe, which is actively implementing eco-friendly vehicle policies. Hyundai took the Swiss case, where it succeeded in building a comprehensive hydrogen ecosystem including complete vehicle exports, mobility usage services, and expansion of charging stations, as a model. Based on this, Hyundai plans to expand hydrogen ecosystem construction across Europe, including Germany, Norway, the Netherlands, and Austria, aiming to supply more than 25,000 hydrogen fuel cell trucks by 2030.

In North America, Hyundai will partner with large logistics companies to launch a demonstration project for commercializing hydrogen fuel cell trucks starting next year. Recently, the U.S. has accelerated the introduction of eco-friendly commercial vehicles, centered on California. In July, 15 U.S. states signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to phase out diesel trucks by 2050, and California is pursuing a policy to operate nearly all large trucks as zero-emission vehicles by 2045.

Hyundai has set a plan to supply more than 12,000 hydrogen fuel cell trucks to the North American market by 2030 and is currently discussing exports of hydrogen fuel cell trucks with potential local customers in the U.S. Previously, Mike Ziegler, Executive Director of Hyundai Motor’s Commercial Overseas New Business Promotion Office, stated, "We are discussing exports of a scale larger than the Swiss export (1,600 units by 2025) with U.S. customers."

Finally, China is expected to be a decisive battleground for the commercial hydrogen fuel cell vehicle market. The Chinese government, which has set a goal to distribute 1 million hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by 2030, recently announced additional policies to expand commercial vehicle distribution. The Chinese government plans to provide incentives over the next four years to local governments and companies that achieve results in developing core hydrogen fuel cell vehicle technologies and parts, as well as building industrial networks, with particular emphasis on expanding distribution in the commercial vehicle sector.

Hyundai aims to supply 27,000 hydrogen fuel cell trucks to China by 2030 and will begin production of hydrogen fuel cell trucks at its local Sichuan plant starting in 2022. The company plans to implement a differentiated strategy through local production.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.