Incheon to add 700 hydrogen buses by next year

By the end of next year, 700 hydrogen buses will be operating in the Incheon region. Attention is focused on whether the largest hydrogen bus conversion plan in Korea, in Incheon, will be implemented and result in genuine carbon reduction impacts as interest in carbon neutrality grows both domestically and internationally.

The hydrogen bus conversion plan for Incheon City, which includes 200 this year and 700 by next year, is considered to be the greatest in the nation this year, according to the Ministry of Environment. Based on the operation of the largest liquefied hydrogen manufacturing plant and charging station in the world, which is slated to take place in the area, Incheon wants to seriously increase the supply of hydrogen buses.

The administration will actively promote it. The Ministry of Environment will sign a contract at Songdo Convention in Incheon with the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, Incheon City, Hyundai Motor Company, and SK E&S to establish a leading hydrogen bus city in Incheon, according to the Ministry of Environment and Incheon City.

In reality, the Ministry of Environment has been supporting policy support to convert 2,000 Incheon city buses to hydrogen buses by 2030 and has inked a commercial agreement with Incheon City to develop a hydrogen public transportation leading city.

Companies like SK E&S and Hyundai Motors joined the agreement in addition to the federal and state governments. Hyundai Motor Company intends to collaborate with SK E&S in the timely production and supply of low-floor and solid-floor hydrogen buses in order to establish a leading hydrogen bus city. SK E&S plans to establish stable liquefied hydrogen production and supply as well as liquefied hydrogen charging infrastructure.

In the Incheon region, 1,514 hydrogen cars have been delivered, and 7 hydrogen charging stations are already operational, with 7 more being built. By the end of the year, a total of eight hydrogen charging stations capable of recharging big commercial vehicles like hydrogen buses will be constructed. By storing and delivering hydrogen via the liquefied technique, two of them intend to start operating as liquid hydrogen charging stations in the fourth quarter of this year, which will be more efficient and safe than gaseous hydrogen charging stations.