Hydrogen back on automakers’ road maps, especially for buses and trucks

Hydrogen-powered vehicles are making a comeback in the global auto industry, but Korea is struggling to build momentum at home.

Renewed interest in hydrogen, particularly for mobility, reflects a growing concern that battery-powered EVs and hybrid vehicles have limitations for long-distance driving and heavy-duty transportation.

On the other hand, hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (HFCV) convert hydrogen into electricity to power an electric motor. Hydrogen reacts with oxygen in a fuel cell stack to generate electricity, with water as the only tailpipe emission. The abundance of the element gives it potential as a means of transportation.

China is expanding its use of hydrogen beyond just cars. It is venturing into areas such as large-scale green hydrogen production, according to speakers at the 2026 Korea-China hydrogen policy forum held in Jung District, central Seoul, on Thursday.

“Hydrogen energy is not meant to replace electricity,” Prof. Yang Fuyuan of Tsinghua University said. “It is a complementary infrastructure that can make renewable energy more useful and support its wider adoption.”

“We plan to expand hydrogen demand beyond transportation and into the industrial and energy sectors,” Fang Haifeng, a chief expert at the China Automotive Technology and Research Center, said.

In Korea, Hyundai Motor has rolled out HFCVs including the Nexo SUV and Xcient truck. The automaker also announced plans in February to build an AI-powered hydrogen city in the Saemangeum area in North Jeolla.

“Rather than judging hydrogen solely by how quickly it is adopted in the short term, we need to develop the technology and the market together until stable supply and demand take shape,” Uni Hong, Executive Vice President and Head of Hyundai Motor Group’s Energy & Hydrogen Business Division, said.

“Companies need a predictable policy environment that allows them to keep investing [in the hydrogen energy sector] over the long term. We also need to consider the role hydrogen can play in diversifying our energy sources, rather than viewing it solely as a fuel for mobility.”

Hydrogen mobility is also regaining momentum in Europe.

Japanese automaker Toyota plans to launch a hydrogen fuel cell version of its Hilux pickup truck as a commercial vehicle in Europe and other markets in 2028, according to the company’s announcement at IAA Transportation 2026 in Hannover, Germany, on Monday.

Toyota also plans to supply hydrogen fuel cell systems to commercial vehicle manufacturers such as Sweden’s Scania and Italy’s Iveco to expand the hydrogen ecosystem.

Germany’s Daimler Truck unveiled a heavy-duty truck powered by liquid hydrogen with a range of more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) on a full tank. Volvo also plans to launch a hydrogen-powered truck in 2030.

HFCVs are well suited to long-haul vehicles because they can be refueled faster than conventional EVs and do not require the large, heavy batteries needed for long-distance driving.

That is why heavy-duty vehicles such as buses and trucks are at the heart of many global automakers’ HFCV strategies. Commercial vehicles often travel fixed routes between depots and logistics hubs, so operators can rely on strategically located hydrogen stations instead of a dense nationwide refueling network.

Experts emphasize that Korea needs to focus on areas where hydrogen has a clear advantage over other energy sources and test projects before expanding them.

“We need to identify where hydrogen is truly necessary and focus the market on areas where there are no good alternatives,” Hwang Yun-ju, head of policy support at the Korea Hydrogen Alliance, said. “Like China, we should first test whether projects can work commercially, from hydrogen production all the way through to its use, and then expand the ones that prove successful.”

BY KO SUK-HYUN [[email protected]]