



By Baek Byung-yeul







Hyundai Motor is accelerating efforts to develop hydrogen technologies, planning to launch hydrogen fuel-cell trucks in 2023 in a bid to take the lead in next-generation electric vehicles.







The automaker said Sunday that it recently signed a memorandum of agreement with Yeosu Gwangyang Port Authority to conduct jointly a project to develop hydrogen-powered trucks and related businesses.







"Under the agreement, Hyundai Motor will develop two hydrogen-powered trucks for logistics purposes by 2023 and 10 more trucks in the following year. YGPA will provide support to build a hydrogen recharge station on its site," the company said.







YGPA will offer about 2,000 square meters of land for a recharge station scheduled to be built in 2022.







The hydrogen fuel-cell truck will be capable of driving about 320 kilometers, equivalent to a round trip route between the southern ports of Gwangyang and Busan.







Hyundai Motor has been expanding its presence in the hydrogen-powered auto business. The company signed a contract with a Swiss hydrogen company H2Energy in 2018 to supply its hydrogen fuel-cell trucks, starting in the first half of this year.

