New Delhi: The Hydrogen Council has named Hyundai Motor Company President and CEO Jaehoon Chang as its new Co-Chair alongside Sanjiv Lamba, CEO of Linde.
Together, they will collaborate with Hydrogen Council member CEOs as the organization enters a new phase. This phase will focus on harnessing the global demand for hydrogen and creating a framework for international trade and investment.
Chang succeeds Yoshinori Kanehana, Chairman of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd., who served as Co-Chair for two and a half years. His appointment follows Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung, who led the Council from January 2019 to July 2020.
Hyundai Motor has been committed to hydrogen technologies since it established a Fuel Cell research and development division in 1998.
Their continuous investment and research have cemented Hyundai’s leadership in the hydrogen sector. Achievements include the independent development of a fuel cell stack in 2004 and the world’s first mass production of a Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV), the Tucson ix35 FCEV, in 2013.
In 2018, Hyundai mass-produced NEXO, the first dedicated FCEV. In 2020, they began the world’s first mass production of heavy-duty hydrogen-powered trucks, the XCIENT Fuel Cell.
At CES 2024, Hyundai announced plans to expand HTWO, their hydrogen fuel cell system brand. Originally introduced in 2020, HTWO covers the entire hydrogen value chain, including production, storage, transportation, and utilization.
In May, Hyundai shared its vision for hydrogen and introduced its U.S. clean logistics business at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo 2024. This reinforced Hyundai’s leading position in the global hydrogen ecosystem. Additionally, XCIENT Fuel Cell electric heavy-duty trucks recently surpassed a cumulative driving distance of 10 million km in Swiss fleet operations, showcasing their reliability.
As President and CEO, Jaehoon Chang has actively promoted the creation of a hydrogen economy and proposed practical solutions for future energy transitions.
In his new role as Co-Chair, he will discuss global hydrogen energy demand and work closely with CEOs of the Hydrogen Council’s member organizations to accelerate global trade and investment.
