South Korea tests hydrogen-fueled freight trucks in actual logistics services

According to foreign media reports, South Korea has launched a government-funded project to test freight trucks powered by hydrogen fuel cells in actual logistics services. The year-long project, part of the South Korean government's Carbon Neutrality Program, aims to accelerate the process of converting large trucks into eco-friendly vehicles.

(Source: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport)

The project, which opened after a ceremony held by government agencies on December 23, has a total of 5 capacities of 11 tons of demonstration trucks. The 5 trucks, all manufactured by South Korea's Hyundai Motor Group, have a range of 570 kilometers and are distributed to three logistics companies, two of which are CJ Logistics, two are Hyundai Glovis and one is Coupang.

South Korea's Minister of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Noh Hyeong-ouk, said: "I think it makes a lot of sense to develop domestic hydrogen-fueled freight trucks and pilot them. I hope this pilot project will drive the transformation of large trucks into eco-friendly vehicles and further towards carbon neutrality. ”

South Korea's Seoul government aims to supply 880,000 hydrogen vehicles by 2030, including 10,000 hydrogen trucks, and to build 660 charging stations. Based on the world's most advanced hydrogen fuel vehicle technology, South Korea's Deputy Minister of Trade, Industry and Energy, Park Jin-ky, has pledged to fully support the government in making hydrogen fuel trucks an export product.

Since its debut in Switzerland in 2020, Hyundai's fuel cell trucks have proven their commercial viability through driving. In July 2021, Hyundai Motor Group gained a foothold in the U.S. hydrogen truck distribution market with support from California-funded agencies and local communities, and showcased its upgraded Model, the Class 8 XCIENT Fuel Cell, with a range of approximately 800 kilometers.

Hyundai's 30 demonstration trucks will be deployed to Northern California by the second quarter of 2023. Currently, Hyundai is developing an upgraded model with a range of up to 1,000 kilometers.