Hyundai Motor is stepping up its efforts to commercialize its hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), the first of its kind in the world, to become a top manufacturer of environmentally-friendly cars.
Hyundai said Monday that it will sell FCEVs as taxis and begin a car sharing program later this year to promote the use of the emission-free vehicles among businesses and individuals.
The carmaker plans to operate 10 Tucson ix FCEVs as taxis for a trial run in Ulsan in December, while providing 15 vehicles for a pilot car sharing program in Gwangju.
On Monday, the automaker signed a deal with Ulsan Metropolitan Government and a taxi association in the city to offer 10 Tucson ix FCEVs as taxis. It plans to add five more vehicles in Ulsan in 2017, and begin running another 5 as taxis in Gwangju.
In 2018, a total of 100 FCEVs will run as taxis across five municipalities, Hyundai said.
In addition, the carmaker signed agreements with Gwangju Metropolitan Government and rental car firm J-Car to use 15 Tucson ix FCEVs for a car sharing program. The firm plans to increase the number to 150 by 2020 and expand the program to other regions.
Earlier, the government started a consultative body of representatives from the public and private sectors to foster the hydrogen car industry as one of Korea’s new growth engines. -KoreaTimes