"We want to consolidate our image in the world's largest car market as a 'first mover' in eco-friendly vehicles," a Hyundai spokesman said.

Hyundai opened a pop-up showroom for hydrogen cars in downtown Shanghai which runs for two weeks until Sept. 8, the carmaker said Monday.

China, one of the most polluted countries, will soon be the world's largest market for hydrogen cars as the government subsidizes eco-friendly cars.

The Chinese government plans to supply 1 million hydrogen-fueled vehicles by 2030 and set up 1,000 fueling stations. Each province is offering around W34 million per car in subsidies (US$1=W1,216).

Hebei Province near Beijing, which is hosting the 2022 Winter Olympics, plans to have all vehicles run on hydrogen gas by that date.