The Hyundai Motor Group is moving forward with hydrogen fuel cell development under its new HTWO sub-brand.
With the decision to spin-off Genesis and IONIQ as its luxury and electric arm respectively, the Hyundai Motor Group has been making a habit in recent times of creating dedicated sub-brands under its corporate umbrella to target specific markets.
What started with two companies, Hyundai and Kia, the corporate umbrella has since had to double in size to accommodate four with these new recent spin-offs. Or more precisely five actually, as the South Korean automotive conglomerate has recently announced yet another corporate offspring in the form of HTWO, its new sub-brand that is to be dedicated to ‘the group’s world-leading hydrogen fuel cell system’.
According to automotive conglomerate, this new hydrogen arm under its corporate umbrella will primarily focus on the development of the development of its next-generation hydrogen fuel cell system. Supposedly not only meant to be ‘deliver enhanced performance and durability at an affordable price in a lighter architecture with enhanced energy density’, this new powertrain is meant to also go in a diversified range of hydrogen powered vehicles.
And when they say diversified, they really mean it. That is because the ambitions for HTWO not only lie in cars and trucks, but also trains, boats and even Urban Air Mobility (UAM) vehicles.
The Hyundai Motor Group is, of course, no stranger to hydrogen fuel cells, having been dabbling with this technology for over 20 years. In fact, Hyundai itself is currently among the very few automakers offering a commercially available hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle in the form of its Nexo SUV.
Moreover, the group is not only currently focusing its hydrogen development on passenger vehicles, but also the commercial sector too. This is demonstrated by the fact that the Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell, the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell heavy-duty truck, as well as its hydrogen-powered Hyundai Elec City buses.
In order to better facilitate future efforts for the development of its innovative sector of the automotive industry however, the Hyundai Motor Group has therefore decided to spin its hydrogen development arm off into the recently announced HTWO. Much like what it has done with the aforementioned Genesis and IONIQ sub-brands in terms of luxury vehicles and battery-electric vehicles.
As for the name itself, HTWO is derived from the literal way of saying H2, the molecular formula of the hydrogen atom. As with all things marketing however, the South Korean automaker claims that this new name is also meant to represent ‘Hydrogen’ and ‘Humanity’, the two main pillars of Hyundai’s fuel cell business.
Interesting name aside, the launch of a dedicated hydrogen sub-brand by Hyundai is the clearest indication yet of an automaker taking hydrogen propulsion as a serious matter.
More to the point though, seeing how successful the Hyundai Motor Group’s sub-brands are today, this could perhaps foreshadow to hydrogen power actually being a viable zero tailpipe emission transport solution in the near future, with HTWO leading this particular charge. Not only in the auto industry, but in other transportation sectors too.
PRESS RELEASE: Hyundai Motor Group today introduced ‘HTWO’, a new brand to represent the group’s world-leading hydrogen fuel cell system. Building upon Hyundai’s 20-plus years of experience in hydrogen fuel cell technology, the brand will present hydrogen as a positive energy for humanity. HTWO stands for ‘H2’, the hydrogen molecule, whilst also representing ‘Hydrogen’ and ‘Humanity’, the two main pillars of Hyundai’s fuel cell business. The launch of the new fuel cell system brand will help facilitate Hyundai’s global fuel cell business and grow the hydrogen ecosystem.
With HTWO, Hyundai Motor Group is stepping up efforts for the development of a next-generation hydrogen fuel cell system that can be applied to various forms of mobility such as UAM, automobiles, vessels and trains. Not only will the next-generation fuel cell system be available for many different mobility products and services, it will deliver enhanced performance and durability at an affordable price in a lighter architecture with enhanced energy density. With its next generation fuel cell system, the group aims to offer a highly efficient and diversified lineup of hydrogen-powered vehicles.
Through strategic partnerships with hydrogen, energy and logistics companies around the world, Hyundai Motor Group has expanded its fuel cell system business, accelerating development of a hydrogen society and laying the foundation for the company’s HTWO brand, with initial focus on major hub regions – Korea, the United States, Europe and China.
Since marketing the world’s first mass-produced fuel cell electric vehicle ix35 in 2013, the group has been expanding its vehicle offerings powered by its fuel cell system such as Hyundai NEXO SUV, XCIENT Fuel Cell heavy-duty truck and a fuel cell electric bus, as zero-emission mobility solutions. As a steering member of the Hydrogen Council, a global coalition of leading energy, transportation and industry companies with a shared vision and long-term ambition for hydrogen, Hyundai is committed to fostering a clean energy transition.
