Following the surprising announcement that Volkswagen and Ford have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, laying the foundations of a future strategic alliance with a focus on commercial vehicles, Audi and Hyundai are now informing us the two companies are also teaming up, but they will develop fuel cell technologies.
The official press release states that the German and South Korean automakers have plans to cross-license patents and grant access to non-competitive components. The main goal of the project will be to bring fuel cell to volume production more effectively. It’s important to note that the agreement is still subject to approval from the applicable regulatory authorities.
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“The fuel cell is the most systematic form of electric driving and thus a potent asset in our technology portfolio for the emission-free premium mobility of the future,” Peter Mertens, board member for technical development at Audi, comments. “On our FCEV roadmap, we are joining forces with strong partners such as Hyundai. For the breakthrough of this sustainable technology, cooperation is the smart way to leading innovations with attractive cost structures.”
Mertens’ words were echoed by Hyundai’s vice chairman, Euisun Chung: “We are confident that our partnership with Audi will successfully demonstrate the vision and benefits of FCEVs to the global society.”
It’s too early to say what this new cooperation will bring to the market, but Audi and Hyundai say they will be also exploring into far-reaching collaboration on the development of “this sustainable technology.” Audi also explains the cross-license agreement will be focused on the next generation fuel cell vehicles from the German automaker, which currently has plans to launch a small production series of SUV FCEVs early next decade.
Hyundai has been offering fuel cell electric vehicles since 2013 and is currently selling them in 18 countries around the globe. On the other hand, Audi has been working on the technology for almost two decades.
Source: Audi and Hyundai
AUDI AG and Hyundai Motor Group are driving the development of fuel cell technology. The two companies plan to cross-license patents and grant access to non-competitive components. The agreement is currently subject to approval from the applicable regulatory authorities. Through their collaboration, both partners aim to bring the fuel cell to volume production maturity more quickly and more efficiently. Audi and Hyundai are also exploring more far-reaching collaboration on the development of this sustainable technology.
“The fuel cell is the most systematic form of electric driving and thus a potent asset in our technology portfolio for the emission-free premium mobility of the future,” says Peter Mertens, Board Member for Technical Development at AUDI AG. “On our FCEV roadmap, we are joining forces with strong partners such as Hyundai. For the breakthrough of this sustainable technology, cooperation is the smart way to leading innovations with attractive cost structures.”
“We are confident that our partnership with Audi will successfully demonstrate the vision and benefits of FCEVs to the global society,” says Euisun Chung, Vice Chairman at Hyundai Motor Company. “This agreement is another example of Hyundai’s strong commitment to creating a more sustainable future whilst enhancing consumers’ lives with hydrogen-powered vehicles, the fastest way to a truly zero-emission world.”
Long ranges and short refueling times make hydrogen an attractive future source of energy for electric mobility. This is particularly true for larger automobiles, where the weight advantages of the fuel cell vehicle inherent to its design are particularly pronounced. Besides further advances in fuel cell technology, key aspects for its future market success include the regenerative production of hydrogen and the establishment of a sufficient infrastructure.
Within the Volkswagen Group, AUDI AG has taken on the development responsibility for the fuel cell technology and is currently working on its sixth generation. The Group’s Fuel Cell Competence Center is located at the Neckarsulm site. At the beginning of the next decade, Audi will introduce the first fuel cell model as a small series production. As a sporty SUV, the model will combine the premium comfort of the full-size segment with long-range capability. The cross-license agreement with Hyundai is already focused on the next development stage intended for a broader market offer.
Audi has already been working on fuel cell concepts for almost 20 years. The first test vehicle was the compact Audi A2H2 in 2004, followed by the Audi Q5 HFC in 2008. The 2014 Audi A7 Sportback h-tron quattro introduced the “h-tron” suffix for models with fuel cell technology. The “h” stands for the element hydrogen. The Audi h-tron quattro concept study presented in 2016 further demonstrated the brand’s technology competence in fuel cell drive systems.
