Production Begins on Hydrogen Tram Vehicles for Daejeon Urban Railway Line 2

Daejeon City and Hyundai Rotem to Hold Public Briefing on Train Production Launch on the 26th
34 Trains to Be Delivered Sequentially from Second Half of 2026 with 293.4 Billion Won Investment

Daejeon City held a commencement ceremony on the 26th for the production of hydrogen tram vehicles to be operated on Urban Railway Line 2. / Daejeon City

The production of hydrogen trams for Daejeon City’s Urban Railway Line 2 has begun. After 28 years since the government’s initial approval of the basic plan in 1996, and 10 years since the decision to switch to trams, the tram?set to become a representative mode of transportation for Daejeon citizens?has become a tangible reality.

On the 26th, Daejeon City and Hyundai Rotem held a public briefing on the commencement of hydrogen tram vehicle production at the city hall’s main auditorium. The event was attended by Daejeon Mayor Lee Jangwoo, City Council Chairman Cho Wonhui, Hyundai Rotem CEO Lee Yongbae, and approximately 500 citizens. Hyundai Rotem, responsible for manufacturing the vehicles, explained the hydrogen tram development process, specifications and features of the trams to be introduced in Daejeon, and future plans.

The hydrogen trams to be introduced in Daejeon can travel over 200 km on a single charge and will be constructed as a fully catenary-free system, eliminating the need for power supply lines within the city center.

With zero emissions of pollutants such as carbon dioxide and the ability to purify fine dust during operation, the hydrogen trams are expected to produce clean air equivalent to what approximately 110,000 people consume in one hour (based on 34 trains operating for 19 hours), significantly improving air quality.

At the briefing, Hyundai Rotem Executive Director Lee Wonsang stated, “Based on the hydrogen tram developed as a national R&D project, the trams supplied to Daejeon will be equipped with various advanced features, including transparent OLED panels on the side windows. In particular, for fire and pedestrian safety, we plan to install LTO batteries, which are more expensive but free from fire risks, instead of lithium-polymer batteries, as well as front collision warning and automatic braking systems.”

Hyundai Rotem plans to deliver a total of 34 trains to Daejeon City, starting with the first train in the second half of 2026 and continuing sequentially until the first half of 2028.

Prior to the briefing, Daejeon Mayor Lee Jangwoo and Hyundai Rotem CEO Lee Yongbae signed a memorandum of understanding for technological cooperation and administrative support regarding the introduction of hydrogen trams and the development of a hydrogen city.

Daejeon City and Hyundai Rotem plan to collaborate on technology and information exchange, as well as policy support, for the construction of the tram system, hydrogen production, manufacturing of charging facilities, and infrastructure, all aimed at fostering and developing Daejeon as a hydrogen city.

Mayor Lee Jangwoo emphasized, “After remaining only a plan for 28 years, the Daejeon Urban Railway Line 2 project is finally breaking ground with the start of vehicle production. We will ensure the remaining processes proceed smoothly so that the tram becomes a source of pride for Daejeon City and its citizens.”

Meanwhile, on July 25, Daejeon City signed a contract worth 293.4 billion KRW with Hyundai Rotem for the production of 34 hydrogen trams, including inspection and signaling systems. The Daejeon Urban Railway Line 2 project aims to open in 2028, following four years of vehicle production, line construction, and trial operations, with civil engineering work set to begin this October.

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