Hyundai to set up fuel cell system plant in Guangzhou, China

KUALA LUMPUR: Hyundai has taken one more step towards its goal of bringing hydrogen fuel cell technology to the front. The company has recently signed a contract with the Guangdong Provincial Government to build a fuel cell system production facility in Guangzhou, China. This move will not only expand the brand’s global hydrogen leadership but will also act as a support for China’s rapidly growing hydrogen industry. 

The attendees at the signing ceremony were:

• Kwang Guk Lee, President and Head of China Operations at the Group
• Hyuk Joon Lee, Senior Vice President and Chief Government Affairs Officer of Hyundai Motor Group China Ltd.
• Lin Keqing, Executive Vice Governor of Guangdong Province; Hu Hong, Vice Mayor of Guangzhou Municipal Government
• Chen Yong, District Chief of Huangpu District Guangzhou Municipal Government

The Guangzhou plant will be Hyundai’s first fuel cell production base outside Korea, whose construction is scheduled to start next month and expected to be completed by the second half of 2022. According to Hyundai, the new plant will leverage the company’s extensive expertise in fuel cell system production. It will manufacture the proven fuel cell systems that are used for Hyundai’s NEXO fuel cell electric SUV. Initially, the facility will produce 6,500 units of fuel cell systems annually and it would be increasing according to the market demand.

Hyundai will also work with Chinese companies to participate in the hydrogen-related pilot project and initiatives of the Guangdong Government. This will help the Korean automaker in securing a competitive advantage in China’s hydrogen industry as other companies around the globe have also been working with the Chinese partners for developing technologies for fuel cell vehicles. According to the roadmap released by the China Society of Automotive Engineers in October 2020, the country has set a target of 1 million FCEVs on its roads by 2035, centering on commercial vehicles. 

Hyundai’s decades of experience in fuel cell system development covers the following:

• In 2013, Hyundai launched the first mass-produced FCEV, the ix35.
• In 2018, it introduced the second-gen NEXO.
• In late 2020, Hyundai delivered the seven units of the XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks to the customers in Switzerland, which is the first mass-produced fuel cell electric heavy-duty truck.
• Hyundai recently launched HTWO, a new brand representing its world-leading hydrogen fuel cell system.
• It has also strengthened its R&D capabilities and partnerships to lead the development of the hydrogen economy.

In the long-term, the company aims to produce 700,000 fuel cells annually to meet demand from various industry sectors.

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