Hyundai Announces Hydrogen Vision 2040

Automaker Hyundai is looking beyond the typical hybrid or fully electric vehicle at a future design for emissions-free driving based on hydrogen. The automaker has revealed its Hydrogen Vision 2040 plan to popularize hydrogen by the year 2040 for "everyone, everything, and everywhere." Hydrogen Vision 2040 is an offshoot of its Hydrogen Wave Forum, representing its plans for a new wave of hydrogen-based products and technologies.

Hydrogen-powered vehicles have some of the same benefits for the environment as electric-powered vehicles. However, they offer more driving range in many instances and the ability to quickly refuel for long trips. One of the key challenges for hydrogen vehicles right now is that there is no hydrogen infrastructure in the majority of the country. Hyundai has revealed its next-generation fuel-cell system offering 100kW and 200kW versions.

The automaker wants to introduce these new fuel cells by 2023 and aims to lower their cost by more than 50 percent, the total package volume by 30 percent, and the double power output. Hyundai is aiming at the year 2028 to apply fuel-cell systems to all commercial vehicle models.

Another stated goal of Hydrogen Vision 2040 is to achieve fuel-cell electric vehicle price comparability with a traditional battery electric vehicle by the year 2030. Hyundai also showed off multiple concepts that use fuel-cell technologies, including a Trailer Drone that could be the future of transporting goods on the highways.

Other concepts revealed include a high-performance sports car and vehicles using fuel cells for emergency response and rescue missions. However, popularizing hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the next couple of decades is a lot of work. Not only does Hyundai have to produce technology, but it also has to work with partners to expand the hydrogen fueling infrastructure.