Seriously Develop Hydrogen Fuel, Hyundai And Kia Partner With This Company

Nexo is a hydrogen fuel cell-powered SUV from Hyundai that was first introduced at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show. (Doc. Hyundai)

JAKARTA - A number of global automotive manufacturers are competing to create environmentally friendly mobility with renewable energy. Hyundai and Kia, for example, have always expressed interest in developing hydrogen fuel for their vehicles.

To seriously realize it, the two South Korean companies signed a cooperation agreement with W. L Gore & Associates in developing Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) which will help the hydrogen fuel cell system.

Efforts between the three parties will cover various aspects of developing the PEM system. The ultimate goal of this collaboration is to develop sophisticated PEMs in order to accommodate the next generation of fuel cell electric commercial vehicles.

Thus, these three companies continue their partnership for 15 years in developing fuel cells. This partnership will focus on joint development of an optimal fuel cell system for commercial vehicles, with a special emphasis on improving performance and durability.

"By taking advantage of the 15-year collaboration, we will obtain advanced fuel cell technology and lead the fuel cell electric vehicle market, thereby accelerating movement towards a sustainable future," said Chang Hwan Kim, Head of Battery Development and Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Development at Hyundai Motor Company and Kia Corporation, on the company website, Saturday, January 6.

Gore is a state-of-the-art material company based in Delaware, USA, offering expertise in the development of PEM, Catalyst-layered membrane, and Membrane Electrode Assembly technology.

This collaboration further strengthens the position of Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) in developing hydrogen technology for 25 years which led to the establishment of the company's hydrogen business, HTWO, in 2020.