Gov't offers hydrogen car recharge discounts on July 14 to mark Green New Deal anniversary

Hyundai Motor's hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle Nexo parked in front of GS Caltex's hydrogen car recharging station in the Sangil-dong area of Seoul's Gangdong District. Courtesy of Hyundai Motor Company

By Ko Dong-hwan

One year has passed since the government announced its ambitious commitment to economic growth based on carbon neutralization and other eco-friendly strategies under the Green New Deal.

To mark the first anniversary on July 14, the Ministry of Environment rolled out several consumer-friendly initiatives on Tuesday to boost the use of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs), which form one of the pillars of the Green New Deal.

On Wednesday only, 31 hydrogen vehicle recharging stations across the country will offer discounted recharging rates. Twenty-nine stations will offer a 20 percent discount to the current rate of 8,800 won ($7.68) per kilogram, lowering the price to 7,000 won. Two stations in Seoul's Gangdong District and Incheon's Namdong District will offer an 11 percent discount, reducing the rate to 7,800 won.

The participating stations account for 45 percent of the entire hydrogen-recharging stations in operation nationwide. The locations of the participating stations can be checked at the websites of the ministry or the Korea Automobile Environment Association.

During the day, people can also test-drive hydrogen cars made by Hyundai Motor, which agreed to cooperate with the ministry for the event. People can make reservations on Tuesday or Wednesday at 19 hydrogen car test-driving centers across the country that are operated by the carmaker. Test drives are also available at Hyundai Motor dealerships. Those who want to make reservations on Tuesday either at a test-drive center or a dealership can do so at Hyundai Motor's website.

"With the help of this event, we hope that hydrogen cars, which are 'moving air purifiers,' will draw more interest from people," said Kim Seung-hee, an official at the ministry's Air Quality Policy Bureau. "We will spur our efforts to meet our country's national goal of complete carbon neutralization by 2050 by safely and promptly establishing hydrogen car recharging infrastructure so that people can drive hydrogen vehicles more conveniently."

The government hopes the number of hydrogen cars purchased by consumers by 2025 would reach 200,000 vehicles, while aiming to build 450 hydrogen car recharging stations across the country by then.

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