Hyundai and Kia headquarters in Yangjae-dong, Seoul. Photo = Yonhap News
Hyundai Motor Group plans to establish the first overseas hydrogen fuel cell system production base in China.
According to the government and industry on the 5th, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy recently held the Industrial Technology Protection Committee and decided to approve the Hyundai Motor Group’s hydrogen fuel cell system technology export.
The hydrogen fuel cell system is a device that generates electricity using hydrogen. It is also a key component of hydrogen vehicles, which is the engine of an internal combustion locomotive.
Since this technology is a national core technology, it requires government approval in accordance with relevant laws and regulations to export. Last year, Hyundai Motor Group applied for a technology export approval from the Ministry of Industry to establish a hydrogen fuel cell system plant in Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China.
The government approved the export as it is a process manufactured by Hyundai Motor Group in China, and it is unlikely that the national core technology will leak out.
In addition, it is expected to have a positive effect in economic terms. This is because cooperation with local governments is important to preoccupy the hydrogen vehicle market as local governments will take the initiative in providing vehicle subsidies and building charging infrastructure in China. Accordingly, it was determined that it was necessary to build a local plant.
It is known that export approval was also influenced by the fact that domestic hydrogen car parts makers have a great effect on increasing exports, as all key parts will be used as domestic products.
The industry believes that Hyundai Motor Group is promoting the establishment of a new plant in order to preoccupy the early Chinese hydrogen economy.
An industry insider said, “Hyundai Motor is actively targeting the global market in the hydrogen fuel cell field as well as hydrogen vehicles.”
Shin Hyun-ah, reporter at Hankyung.com [email protected]
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