700 Hydrogen-Powered Buses in Incheon by End of 2024

South Korean city Incheon plans to deploy 700 fuel cell buses by the end of next year. Under the plan 200 fuel cell buses will hit the streets this year, and by the end of 2024, the city aims to push up the figure to 700. 

In a statement on its website, South Korea’s Ministry of Environment said, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, the Incheon City Government, Hyundai Motor and SK E&S have signed an agreement to replace buses in the Incheon region with hydrogen-powered fuel cell buses by 2024.

The Environment Ministry will provide subsidies for purchasing fuel-cell buses, and the  Transport Ministry will grant subsidies, and work on improving regulations to facilitate fuel-cell bus deployment. Hyundai Motor will supply the vehicles, and SK E&S will supply liquid hydrogen and set up hydrogen charging infrastructure in the region.

SK E&S is currently building a hydrogen plant in Incheon, with an annual production capacity of 30,000 tons. The plant will begin operation by the end of this year, according to the company. There are currently six hydrogen stations in Incheon. The goal is to build eight more this year.

 SK Plug Hyverse, a 51/49 joint venture between SK E&S and New York-based Plug Power, signed an agreement with the Transport Ministry, the Incheon City Government, Incheon International Airport Corp, and Korea Gas Technology Corp. to invest US$10 million by 2024 in building a hydrogen charging station at a bus garage at the airport.

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