Hyundai and WeRide plan to fuel self-driving with hydrogen in China

While hydrogen is still a niche fuel for electric vehicles, a startup in China is getting ready to use it for self-drive scenarios.

WeRide, one of the most funded robotaxi operators in China, said Tuesday it is joining hands withHyundai to launch a self-driving hydrogen-powered vehicle pilot zone in Guangzhou, the southern metropolis where it isHeadquarters.

At a time when China is trying to decarbonize its economy, the research and production of clean hydrogen is more important than ever.

There are very little details from the announcement. It is not clear when the pilot will start, what the scale of the trial is, or what exactly is being powered by hydrogen, which is considered one of the cleanest fuels. It won't be a surprise to see hydrogen vehicles in the pilot zone sinceHyundai has bet big on the fuel.

According to the announcement, WeRide,Hyundai, and a Chinese power generation and supply company will work together to create demand for the use of hydrogen fuel cell battery in outlying areas.

In September last year, the company said it would offer hydrogen cell fuel for all of its commercial vehicles. The use of hydrogen products could be expanded by the tie-up with WeRide. Taxis powered by hydrogen can be an ideal mode of transportation if there is enough refueling infrastructure.

The city of Guangzhou is a good choice for the experiment because of the production of hydrogen fuel cell systems byHyundai. When the facility opened last year, the South Korean auto giant set an annual target to produce 6,500 units, with a goal to gradually expand production capacity in line with Chinese market conditions.

China is trying to improve its public transportation. In Shenzhen, the hardware capital of the world, almost all buses and cabs are powered by batteries. While the city has grown quieter thanks to the initiative, battery safety and recycling are still issues for the local authorities. It can take hours to fully refuel batteries at charging stations.

Hyundai Motor Group unveils its hydrogen strategy, plans to offer fuel cell versions of commercial cars by 2028