South Korea is going forward with its plans to develop and test more hydrogen cars and buses in the near future. Science and Technology Minister Kim Woo-sik has stated his plans to test 14 hydrogen fuel cell cars next year.
South Korean automaker Hyundai-Kia Motors has already developed five of the fuel cell vehicles and nine more vehicles are planned for the test next year. In 2008, South Korea plans to rollout 20 additional fuel cell vehicles as well to test for viability. Hydrogen fueling stations have already been built in Inchon and Taejon and in 2007, hydrogen fueling stations in Seoul and Yongin, Kyonggi Province will be completed.
On Wednesday, November 29, South Korea’s first hydrogen fuel cell bus went live, beginning a three year test cycle. The bus was also developed by Hyundai-Kia Motors and cost about $3.5 million to build.
The Hyundai hydrogen fuel cell bus contains a 160 kw fuel cell stack and can run for 180 miles when filled with 40 kg of hydrogen gas. The Hyundai hydrogen bus is said to run twice as efficiently as the diesel buses that are currently in operation.
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