Rapid Growth of Hydrogen Buses in Korea Signals Shift Towards Hydrogen Mobility
Key Ideas
  • Hydrogen bus distribution in South Korea has surged, with 1,044 units distributed in the past year, exceeding the total of the previous five years combined.
  • Government plans to introduce commercial vehicles with hydrogen combustion engines as part of the hydrogen mobility initiative.
  • Increase in hydrogen commercial vehicle charging stations from 17 in 2021 to 152 as of April this year, in alignment with the growth of hydrogen buses.
  • Challenges of hydrogen combustion engines include emission of nitrogen oxides and lower energy efficiency compared to fuel cell technology in general hydrogen cars.
In South Korea, the distribution of hydrogen buses has experienced significant growth, surpassing the total distribution of the previous five years within just one year. The Ministry of Environment has shifted focus towards promoting hydrogen mobility, leading to discussions on the introduction of commercial vehicles with hydrogen combustion engines. The country has seen a notable rise in the number of hydrogen buses, reaching 1,695 units by the end of last year, and 1,982 units distributed nationwide as of April this year. This increase is attributed to government policies emphasizing hydrogen buses over hydrogen cars due to higher demand. The government has also expanded the infrastructure for hydrogen mobility, with the number of hydrogen commercial vehicle charging stations increasing from 17 to 152 in a year. The Ministry of Environment is now looking into the development of commercial vehicles powered by hydrogen combustion engines. While these engines do not emit greenhouse gases like traditional engines, they produce nitrogen oxides during combustion, requiring measures to mitigate emissions. Hyundai Infracore is working on an 11-liter hydrogen combustion engine for trucks and construction machinery. Despite the challenges, the government remains positive about the potential of hydrogen combustion engines and aims to enhance the hydrogen bus supply policy. Overall, the growth of hydrogen buses and plans for hydrogen combustion engine vehicles indicate a promising shift towards sustainable and eco-friendly transportation in South Korea.
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