"I will take the lead with global partners in accelerating a hydrogen-based future society."
Hyundai Motor Group attended the APEC CEO Summit 2025 held at Gyeongju Arts Center on the 30th, further strengthening its position as a global leader in the hydrogen sector. The APEC CEO Summit is a major side event of the APEC leaders' meeting and is the largest business forum in the Asia-Pacific, with leaders from 21 APEC member economies and some 1,700 CEOs of global corporations participating.
This year's forum, under the theme Bridge, business, beyond, broadly discussed major global agendas including hydrogen, AI and digital, bio and health, finance and investment, sustainability, and regional economic integration.
At the event, Hyundai Motor Group held a session titled Hydrogen, beyond mobility, new energy for society to share the direction and status of its hydrogen business and exchange various views to accelerate the development of the hydrogen industry. In particular, Jang Jae-hoon, vice chairman of Hyundai Motor Group and co-chair of the Hydrogen Council, emphasized the strategic importance of hydrogen for achieving carbon neutrality in a dialogue with the Hydrogen Council CEO Ivana Zemelkova.
Vice Chairman Jang Jae-hoon said, "As the global energy landscape is reorganized around sustainable energy sources, hydrogen is emerging as a central pillar of that change," and added, "Hydrogen is accelerating the realization of carbon neutrality by solving the intermittency problem of renewable energy and improving energy efficiency."
He then introduced Hyundai Motor Group's efforts to build a hydrogen ecosystem. Since establishing a dedicated research and development organization for hydrogen in 1998, Hyundai Motor Group has secured global leadership in hydrogen through continuous investment and research, achieving milestones such as the world's first mass production of large hydrogen electric trucks and the world's highest sales for hydrogen electric vehicle–dedicated models.
Recently, it has been using Xcient hydrogen electric trucks to transport export vehicles between Hyundai Motor's Asan plant and Pyeongtaek Port, and is working with Incheon International Airport Corporation to promote the eco-friendly conversion of commercial and special vehicles at the airport and expand hydrogen infrastructure. Through the NorCAL ZERO project to introduce eco-friendly trucks at California ports in the United States, it operates 30 Xcient hydrogen electric trucks, and at Hyundai Motor Group's metaplant (HMGMA) in the United States it has introduced 21 Xcient hydrogen electric trucks for parts transport, expanding the establishment of an eco-friendly and sustainable logistics system.
Vice Chairman Jang Jae-hoon said, "Hyundai Motor Group has made various efforts to create demand, the foundation for the continuous growth of the hydrogen industry," and noted, "Over the past 30 years, we have set numerous 'firsts' and 'bests' in the hydrogen industry."
He also explained Hyundai Motor Group's future plans to expand hydrogen production. Hyundai Motor Group plans to develop mass-production technology for 5-megawatt (MW) PEM (Polymer Electrolyte Membrane) water electrolysis for green hydrogen production on Jeju Island by 2029, and secure a significant lead in green hydrogen production technology through large-scale demonstration projects.
Also, Hyundai Motor Group held a groundbreaking ceremony this morning for a new hydrogen fuel cell plant in Ulsan. The new Ulsan hydrogen fuel cell plant is the group's first domestic fuel cell production hub being built to ramp up hydrogen business and expand the hydrogen industry ecosystem, and is expected to have an annual production capacity of 30,000 fuel cells with completion targeted for 2027.
Vice Chairman Jang Jae-hoon said, "The hydrogen industry requires both demand creation and securing supply," and noted, "Hyundai Motor Group is continuously pursuing large-scale investments related to hydrogen production to spread the hydrogen ecosystem."
He also emphasized the need for public and private cooperation to accelerate the creation of a hydrogen ecosystem.
Vice Chairman Jang Jae-hoon said, "The hydrogen ecosystem can be realized through partnerships between governments and corporations of each country," and added, "Hyundai Motor Group will also take the lead in accelerating a hydrogen-based future society by cooperating with global partners."
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