Ulsan City and Hyundai Motor Break Ground on New Hydrogen Fuel Cell Plant, Aiming to Become a Future Hydrogen Industry Hub

On October 30, Hyundai Motor Breaks Ground on Korea's First Hydrogen Fuel Cell Plant in Ulsan
Integrated "One-Stop" Facility for Fuel Cell Production and Assembly

At 9:50 a.m. on October 30, the groundbreaking ceremony for the "Ulsan Hydrogen Fuel Cell New Plant" will be held at Hyundai Motor Company's Ulsan plant.

The event will be attended by Ulsan Mayor Kim Dukyum, Minister of Climate, Energy and Environment Kim Seonghwan, National Assembly members Kim Kihyun, Park Sungmin, and Yoon Jongoh, Buk-gu District Chief Park Cheondong, Hyundai Motor Company Vice Chairman Jang Jaehun, CEO Lee Dongsuk, Moon Yongmun, Head of the Hyundai Motor Branch of the Korean Metal Workers' Union, as well as representatives from hydrogen parts suppliers, totaling about 250 participants.

The ceremony will proceed in the following order: exhibition tour, introduction of guests, welcoming remarks, congratulatory speeches, project briefing, and a button-touch ceremony.

Previously, on April 9, Ulsan City signed a memorandum of understanding with Hyundai Motor Company to support investment in the construction of the Ulsan hydrogen fuel cell plant.

This Hyundai Motor hydrogen fuel cell plant will be the company’s second such facility globally after Guangzhou, China, and the first in South Korea, to be established at the Ulsan plant.

The plant will be built on a 43,000-square-meter site, with a total floor area of 91,000 square meters, and a total construction cost of 930 billion won. Construction is scheduled for completion in 2027, after which pilot operations and trial production will take place, with mass production set to begin in 2028.

The manufacturing process will be operated as a "One Factory" system that integrates the chemical process (stack manufacturing) and assembly process (system manufacturing), with an annual production capacity of 30,000 fuel cells.

The rapid start of construction was made possible by Ulsan City's proactive pro-business policies, the cooperation of relevant agencies such as Buk-gu District Office, and Hyundai Motor Company's swift investment decision to revitalize the local economy, which accelerated administrative procedures such as permits and approvals.

Jang Jaehun, Vice Chairman of Hyundai Motor Company, said, "I am grateful to the officials of Ulsan City for their passionate support, which enabled us to make a new investment in Ulsan," adding, "We will continue to actively seek investment and cooperation so that Ulsan can become the center of the hydrogen industry."

Mayor Kim Dukyum stated, "Ulsan is Korea's representative hydrogen industry city, and we are striving to build a hydrogen value chain that covers the entire cycle from production, storage, transportation, supply, to utilization of hydrogen energy," adding, "We will continue to accelerate the creation of a hydrogen industry ecosystem and solidify our status as a leading city for clean hydrogen energy."

Last September, Ulsan City was selected for the "Hydrogen City Development Project" hosted by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, and will invest a total of 29.5 billion won over four years, including 14.75 billion won in national funding, to implement the project.

Plans include building an 11.9-kilometer hydrogen pipeline network in Buk-gu and the Ulsan Mipo National Industrial Complex, direct hydrogen supply to three hydrogen refueling stations, a regionally specialized project for innovative technology demonstration of Korea’s first hydrogen tractor, and the advancement of a customized integrated safety and operation system, all aimed at creating a distinct Ulsan-style hydrogen city that sets itself apart from other cities.

In addition, through cooperation with Hyundai Motor Company, Ulsan is pursuing various projects such as the development of water electrolysis-based clean hydrogen production technology, expansion of hydrogen mobility deployment, and the introduction of the nation’s first hydrogen tractor.

Ulsan City Hall.

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