South Korea expects to surpass the milestone of 1,000 hydrogen buses on its roads by the end of July, underscoring its commitment to a multi-energy strategy aimed at achieving carbon neutrality in the transport sector.
As of July 1, South Korea had registered 992 hydrogen buses, with the Ministry of Environment (MoE) anticipating the cumulative sales to reach 1,000 units in the first week of the month. Official figures for the final count are yet to be confirmed.
“The deployment of hydrogen buses in South Korea marks a significant step towards enhancing sustainable mobility options,” said Jung Sun-hwa, Director of Air Environment Policy at MoE.
Since the introduction of hydrogen buses in June 2019, starting with Changwon in Gyeongsangnam-do Province, South Korea has seen steady growth in adoption. Cumulative sales have risen from 77 units in 2022 to 989 units by June 2024.
According to MoE, hydrogen buses are preferred over battery electric buses due to their longer driving range, capable of approximately 500 km, and faster refueling times of 15-20 minutes compared to one hour for battery electric equivalents.
“The goal is to register 300,000 hydrogen vehicles, including 20,000 buses, as part of our broader strategy for sustainable transportation,” Jung Sun-hwa added.
The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy (MOTIE) reported a 46% year-over-year increase in hydrogen consumption for mobility in the first half of this year, driven by the expanded deployment of hydrogen buses. MOTIE projects a further increase to 8,400 tonnes in hydrogen demand in the second half.
Currently, Hyundai is the sole manufacturer of hydrogen buses in South Korea, offering models such as the Elec City Fuel Cell and Universe Fuel Cell. These buses feature rooftop fuel tanks and impressive ranges of up to 635 km.
Earlier this year, Hyundai scaled up production capacity for hydrogen buses from 500 units in 2023 to 3,000 units.
