Hyundai Motor, Air Liquide China partner on hydrogen mobility

HTWO Guangzhou, Hyundai Motor Group's first overseas hydrogen fuel cell production hub, has partnered with Air Liquide China to accelerate the development of a hydrogen mobility value chain in China's rapidly growing clean commercial vehicle sector.

According to Hyundai Motor on Monday, the two parties signed a memorandum of understanding at the 9th China International Import Expo 2026 in Shanghai from Thursday to Tuesday.

Key executives attended the signing ceremony, including Choi Doo-ha, head of the hydrogen commercial vehicle business for Hyundai Motor Group China and senior managing director of HTWO Guangzhou, and Air Liquide China CEO Rui Coelho.

Air Liquide China is the local subsidiary of France-based Air Liquide, an industrial gas giant with over 260 hydrogen refueling stations worldwide.

The agreement combines HTWO Guangzhou's hydrogen fuel cell system technology with Air Liquide China's expertise in hydrogen production, storage, transportation and infrastructure development.

The companies plan to build an integrated demonstration model connecting vehicle operation, refueling infrastructure, and hydrogen supply across real-world logistics routes and trunk transportation networks in China.

By optimizing operations and lowering total cost of ownership, the initiative aims to establish economically viable hydrogen commercial vehicle business models tailored to the Chinese market.

Notably, as the only foreign-invested company selected among 96 major hydrogen companies in the region, HTWO Guangzhou continues to expand its technology applications in commercial transport and logistics.

Hyundai Motor and Air Liquide's strategic ties date back to 2018, when they transitioned from small-scale pilot projects to commercial infrastructure. The alliance directly supports China's dual carbon targets — peaking carbon emissions by 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality by 2060 — by driving decarbonization across the commercial transport sector.