The company’s commitment to hydrogen vision was underscored recently with the appointment of industry veteran Jim Park as its senior vice president of commercial vehicle and hydrogen business development for North America.
Hyundai CEO, José Muñoz, expressed his belief that hydrogen technology provides a scalable, zero-emissions solution for various applications, and that Park’s extensive automotive industry experience would contribute significantly to Hyundai’s hydrogen expansion plans.
Jim Park brings to the table more than 30 years of experience in the automotive industry, with prior leadership roles at Harman-Samsung and Chrysler. He was most recently president of Harman International Korea, where he spearheaded strategies for auto business units and Samsung’s automotive electric businesses.
His appointment comes hot on the heels of Hyundai’s 2023 CEO Investor Day in Seoul, South Korea. The event served as a platform for Hyundai to reveal its mid-to-long-term business strategies and financial plans. Among them were ambitious plans to ramp up its annual EV sales to 2 million units by 2030 while also accelerating initiatives in autonomous driving, software, robotics, and critically, hydrogen.
Hyundai’s press release dubbed the company the “global leader in commercializing hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles”. It outlined a comprehensive plan for an “energy toolbox” that includes hydrogen production, steel manufacturing without fossil fuels, and decarbonizing work sites.
Hyundai NEXO, one of the few hydrogen-fuelled vehicles available on the market, stands as a testament to the company’s faith in hydrogen as a viable alternative fuel. However, Hyundai is not alone in exploring the potential of hydrogen. Toyota, known for its hydrogen-powered Mirai model, recently announced plans to extend its hydrogen offerings, particularly in commercial vehicles, by 2030.
Other auto giants like BMW and Honda are also joining the hydrogen fuel race. BMW, in partnership with Garrett Motion, recently shed light on its BMW iX5 Hydrogen prototype, while Honda executives outlined their ongoing hydrogen initiatives, which span fuel cell vehicles (FCEVs), commercial vehicles, stationary power stations, and construction machinery.
Notably, the Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. (GAC) announced the development of the world’s first ammonia-powered car engine, heralding another significant development in the alternative fuel sector.
