Korea Leads the World in Hydrogen Car Adoption... But Charging Infrastructure Severely Lacking

Source: Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA)

[Asia Economy Reporter Changhwan Lee] The Korea Automobile Manufacturers Association (KAMA) announced on the 28th that although South Korea is the country with the highest number of hydrogen vehicles deployed worldwide, the insufficient charging infrastructure may hinder the development speed of the hydrogen vehicle industry.

According to KAMA, as of March, South Korea, where 33% of the world's hydrogen vehicles are in operation, ranks first globally in hydrogen vehicle deployment rate. However, the number of vehicles per hydrogen charger was only 180. Compared to Germany's 9 vehicles per charger, Japan's 38, and China's 56, the charging infrastructure is significantly lacking.

KAMA expressed concern that as hydrogen vehicles increase rapidly compared to electric vehicles, the construction of charging stations is not keeping pace with the vehicle deployment speed, which could further deteriorate the charging infrastructure conditions.

In particular, while electric vehicles take 16.2 hours to charge all deployed vehicles simultaneously, hydrogen vehicles require 30 hours, highlighting the urgent need for improvement.

The number of hydrogen charging stations, accessibility, and operating hours were positively correlated with higher hydrogen vehicle deployment rates in regions with better charging conditions.

In northern Gyeonggi Province, where there are no hydrogen charging stations, the hydrogen vehicle deployment rate was only 12% (238 vehicles) of the entire Gyeonggi region. In Changwon City, where 75% (6 out of 8) of Gyeongnam's hydrogen charging stations are installed, 75% (798 vehicles) of Gyeongnam's hydrogen vehicles were deployed.

KAMA stated that due to regional differences in charging station installation and operating hours, there are also significant disparities in drivers' convenience in using charging stations.

If charging is done throughout business hours on a specific day, only 14% of all vehicles in Seoul, 12% in Busan, and 13% in Gangwon can charge, whereas 113% in Sejong and 64% in Chungbuk can charge.

If charging is done during peak demand times, such as after 6 p.m. on weekdays, only 7% of registered vehicles in Seoul, 5% in Busan, and 6% in Gangwon can charge, while 46% in Sejong and 26% in Jeonnam can charge.

Jung Manki, Chairman of KAMA, said, "To accelerate carbon neutrality in the transportation sector through the expansion of hydrogen vehicle deployment, the key is to promptly install charging stations while reducing regional disparities. It is urgent to expedite approval or authorization for charging station installation and to expand subsidies for installation and operation."

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