The Korea Herald website reports, “Despite Hyundai Motor Group’s aggressive push for green cars, there has been no clear sign of a breakthrough in its hydrogen drive in the past four years, with seemingly indefinite delays in new model launches.”
“According to industry sources, the carmaker has suspended plans to produce the next-generation Nexo, a hydrogen fuel cell SUV, which had been planned to be launched in the second quarter next year.”
“Sources also say that the carmaker’s luxury brand Genesis has also indefinitely postponed the launch of its first hydrogen fuel cell model, which had been expected to debut in 2025.”
“Hydrogen technology has been touted as having potential to ease the effects on auto parts makers of the switch to electric vehicles, which require fewer parts because they operate without engines. But in order to make hydrogen cars as profitable as conventional ones, the industry as a whole needs to go through a simultaneous transformation and start mass-producing auto parts that would lower carmaking costs.”
Hyundai is expected to continue hydrogen’s use as an alternative in commercial trucking. “The biggest advantage of hydrogen fuel cell trucks is that they are lighter than those with battery packs. Their charging time is also faster, at around 10 minutes versus about an hour for electric trucks to fully recharge. Hydrogen trucks can also travel up to 1,000 kilometers per charge, while it is limited to some 300 kilometers for electric trucks.”
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