Hyundai Motor announced on Wednesday it was joining forces with the Volkswagen Group premium brand Audi to develop advanced fuel-cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technologies.
The two companies signed a multi-year patent cross-licensing agreement this week covering a broad range of FCEV technologies and related components.
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The main focus will be on developing hydrogen fuel-cell technologies, in an attempt to rival battery-electric vehicles as the main zero-emission alternative fuel technology of the future.
Further technological development and economies of scale are essential for this technology to reach maturity in the automotive sector.
Hyundai Motor claims to be the first global carmaker to mass-produce a hydrogen-powered vehicle, the ix35 launched in 2013, followed by the hydrogen-powered Nexo earlier this year.
Around 200 Hyundai fuel-cell vehicles are currently on the road in South Korea and Hyundai’s main automotive technology supplier, Hyundai Mobis, has established a capacity to produce 3,000 complete fuel-cell powertrain modules per year.
Audi is said to be keen to tap into Hyundai’s know-how in this segment.
The automaker unveiled its h-Tron Quattro hydrogen-powered concept car last year and aims to commercialise an FCEV model by 2020.
