Sound out the title of Hyundai’s newest enterprise —a model it’s calling HTWO (“H-2”) — and it reveals the automaker’s new resolution to chop carbon emissions.
HTWO will promote the usage of the H2 hydrogen molecule in creating and selling hydrogen gasoline cell methods for numerous transportation purposes, Hyundai mentioned final week.
Hyundai Motor Co. is considered one of only some world gamers pursuing gasoline cell expertise. The initiative is a part of what CEO Wonhee Lee mentioned is the corporate’s plan to spend some $55.3 billion on new applied sciences by 2025.
“The launch of the brand new gasoline cell system model will assist facilitate Hyundai’s world gasoline cell enterprise and develop the hydrogen ecosystem,” Hyundai mentioned in a launch.
The concept is to broaden purposes past passenger automobiles to vans, ships, trains and even city air mobility, a brand new space of focus for Hyundai. The corporate will develop a next-generation gasoline cell system underneath the HTWO model umbrella for all these purposes.
“Not solely will the next-generation gasoline cell system be out there for a lot of completely different mobility services, it should ship enhanced efficiency and sturdiness at an inexpensive value in a lighter structure with enhanced power density,” Hyundai mentioned. “The corporate goals to supply a extremely environment friendly and diversified lineup of hydrogen-powered automobiles.”
In updating its 2025 marketing strategy final week, Hyundai mentioned it should introduce an unmanned plane system for air cargo, utilizing a hybrid powertrain, by 2026. An all-electric city air mannequin for intracity operations will observe in 2028, with one other mannequin for regional air journey between cities within the 2030s.
Hyundai’s technique mirrors that of Japanese rival Toyota Motor Corp., which final week debuted its personal new-generation gasoline cell system within the redesigned Mirai sedan.
In October, Hyundai delivered its new Xcient Gasoline Cell, a cab-over truck Hyundai calls the world’s first mass-produced gasoline cell electrical heavy-duty truck. On the time, Hyundai outlined a world street map for rolling out 1000’s of gasoline cell vans, together with 12,000 items within the U.S. by 2030.
Hyundai launched its authentic gasoline cell expertise on the Tucson crossover in 2013 and has expanded choices to incorporate the Xcient, a bus and the Nexo gasoline cell crossover.