Kia aims to release hydrogen fuel cars starting 2027

South Korea's second-largest carmaker Kia Corp. is expected to release its first hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles in 2027, following in the footsteps of its bigger sibling Hyundai Motor Co. that dominates the global hydrogen fuel-car market.

According to the car industry on Wednesday, Kia is currently developing hydrogen electric vehicles for military usage. It already developed a dedicated military vehicle platform in the end of 2020, and plans to start supplying military vehicle models built on the platform in 2024. Using the same platform, Kia plans to build its hydrogen-powered military vehicles with an aim to commercialize them in 2027.

Hydrogen-fueled electric vehicles are regarded as the future of military vehicles as it is easier to build hydrogen fueling stations at military bases than on private roads, according to a senior official. Kia has been producing military vehicles, and its annual revenue from military vehicles sales is estimated at 200 billion won ($143 million).

After Kia begins supplying hydrogen-powered vehicles to the military, the company is said to plan to start producing passenger cars fueled by hydrogen, according to sources. Its first hydrogen-powered passenger car is expected to be Carnival, the No. 1 recreational vehicle by Kia in Korea.

Kia Carnival Limousine. [Photo by Kia Corp.]

“Considering the popularity of the Carnival as a family car, the hydrogen-fueled version of it is expected to make waves in the hydrogen industry once it is released,” said an industry insider.

The global hydrogen electric vehicle market is currently dominated by Hyundai Motor’s Nexo, followed by Toyota’s Mirai.

Kia is also actively seeking to build its new electric SUV EV9 cars at its West Point Georgia Plant in the U.S. to qualify for the $7,500 tax credit under the Inflation Reduction Act in the latter half of next year.

The EV9 will be Kia’s second electric vehicle on the Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP), Hyundai Motor Group’s dedicated battery electric vehicle (BEV) platform when it is released in the domestic market in April next year.

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