Train travel is about to get more sustainable as South Korea’s largest automaker, Hyundai Motor, and its locomotive arm, Hyundai Rotem, are slated to develop a hydrogen-powered train by 2020, which will be the first of its kind in the nation. Both companies are affiliates of the country’s top automaker, Hyundai Motor Group, which is also a world leader in hydrogen-powered cars.
Under the partnership, Hyundai Motor will provide fuel cells and related innovation, while Hyundai Rotem will build up a framework interface between trains and fuel. If developed as planned, the hydrogen train would be able to travel up to 200 kilometers at speeds of 70 km per hour on a single charge.
The move comes as the value of global demand for hydrogen trains has risen dramatically in recent years due to governments around the globe racing to replace diesel-powered trains with more environment-friendly ones.
