Hyundai and Bosch both introduced visions for hydrogen energy during the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), showing that the auto industry continues investing in the option.

“At Hyundai, we believe that science and humanity are two sides of the same coin; that advanced technology should also make people’s lives better,” said Jay Chang, president and CEO of Hyundai Motor Co., in a press release. “Clean hydrogen should be for everyone, powering everything, and available everywhere.”

Hydrogen energy plays a role in Hyundai’s commitment to carbon neutrality by 2050, the release said.

“For nearly half of the company’s existence, Hyundai has been at the forefront of the hydrogen momentum, achieving many firsts, including the world’s first mass-produced fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs),” the release said. “It now has the world’s highest market share in hydrogen-powered vehicle sales.”

Hyundai is expanding HTWO, a company brand, from a fuel cell system brand into a hydrogen value chain brand, the release said. The group will focus on developing end-to-end hydrogen solutions including production, storage, transportation, and utilization.

“Traditionally, automakers have focused on vehicle utilization, while other industries have covered energy production, storage, and transportation,” the release said. “This approach has led to a slow and challenging energy transition process. Hyundai aims to overcome these limitations by combining and integrating its Group-wide hydrogen competencies to revolutionize the energy transition and accelerate the establishment of a hydrogen society.”

A Waste-To-Hydrogen program is focusing on the production of technology that turns waste and plastic into hydrogen, the release said.

Hyundai announced last year that it’s partnering with the Georgia Institute of Technology to develop a hydrogen economy. In June, it announced the hiring of Jim Park to lead its North American hydrogen initiatives.

Bosch announced it is investing in technology along the entire hydrogen value chain, including its current production of a mobile fuel cell. Truck manufacturers in Europe, the U.S., and China have already placed orders, a press release said.

“The company is also working on components for a hydrogen engine,” the release said. “This converts fuel directly into energy without first converting it into electricity. Powered by green hydrogen, this engine is almost CO2-neutral. The H2 engine is scheduled to come onto the market this year.”

Both companies mentioned U.S. initiatives to support hydrogen, including a Biden administration announcement to invest $7 billion to support commercial-scale deployment of hydrogen.

California also passed a law in September to support $106 million in hydrogen infrastructure.

Repairer Driven News previously reported BMW, Toyota, and Honda also continue to work on hydrogen options.

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