Kia considering production of hydrogen-based military transports

Following the example of Hyundai, Kia will also begin developing street-legal hydrogen vehicles, but only after producing a few for the army, states Korean Car Blog quoting Kia CEO Ho-Sung Song.

According to this unofficial report, the Korean automaker will prioritize the military, retrofitting South Korea’s existing army vehicles (shown in our photo gallery and the video) with fuel cell powertrains. The first hydrogen cars made this way will be multi-purpose tactical SUVs, and a few all-new models will be designed, too.

The main advantages of this type of transports include low noise, stealthy movement, and faster refueling compared to the typical charging times of EVs.

Furthermore, Kia plans to supply the national army with new fuel cell-based power generators, which are being advertised as more efficient and cheaper to operate than conventional diesel ones.

The first hydrogen vehicles will not appear in the ranks of the South Korean military until at least 2028. Some of the technologies gained in the process might eventually make it into the civilian car industry.