Hydrogen infrastructure capable of refueling passenger cars as well as buses, trucks and forklifts in one place has been built in Ulsan, a first in Korea. With shorter refueling times and significantly improved convenience, hydrogen vehicle use is expected to expand further from daily transportation to logistics and industrial sites.
The Ulsan Metropolitan Government said Monday that it has completed performance upgrades to multi-vehicle refueling systems at 10 local charging stations, including the Taehwagang Station hydrogen refueling station, in connection with its hydrogen pilot city development project. Following the upgrade, the Taehwagang Station hydrogen refueling station, located on Sanup-ro in Nam-gu, has become the first in Korea to feature multi-vehicle infrastructure capable of refueling hydrogen trucks, hydrogen electric tractors and hydrogen fuel cell forklifts. In addition, nine hub hydrogen refueling stations — Gyeong, Sinil, Together, Okdong, Green, Gyeongdong, Samnam, Deokha and Sanggae — have also completed facility upgrades to refuel both hydrogen passenger cars and hydrogen buses.
The Taehwagang Station hydrogen refueling station is a key pipeline-supply station that receives hydrogen directly through a 10.5-kilometer hydrogen pipeline network running from Yeocheon Five-way Intersection to Hyomun Four-way Intersection in Nam-gu. With a refueling capacity of up to 80 kilograms per hour, it can refuel 336 passenger cars or 76 buses a day. With this infrastructure expansion, the refueling time for hydrogen electric tractors has been sharply reduced from more than one hour to an average of 40 minutes, which is expected to further improve operational efficiency at logistics sites. As the first commercially operating station to enable forklift refueling, it is also expected to boost the spread of hydrogen-based equipment in industrial complexes and logistics warehouses.
Along with expanding refueling infrastructure, Ulsan is also accelerating hydrogen vehicle deployment and pipeline network construction. The city plans to expand its infrastructure to a total of 18 sites by next year, including the Ulju Deokha liquefied hydrogen refueling station (capable of refueling 159 buses a day), scheduled for completion in December, in addition to the 16 hydrogen refueling stations currently in operation. It will also increase the deployment of hydrogen electric vehicles. From a cumulative 3,708 units as of May, the city plans to invest 43.5 billion won this year to additionally support a total of 393 units, including 300 passenger cars, 90 buses and three trucks.
In addition, the city will build an additional 11.9-kilometer hydrogen pipeline network reflecting local industrial conditions by 2028. The 6.7-kilometer section from Hyomun Four-way Intersection to the Gyeong hydrogen refueling station in the Buk-gu area will be developed as a "future mobility expansion" type, while the 5.2-kilometer section in the Ulsan Mipo National Industrial Complex, connecting the main gate of Hyundai Motor's Plant No. 5 to HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, will be developed as an "industrial site demand" type. Through this, the city plans to directly supply hydrogen via pipeline to two existing stations, including the Gyeong hydrogen refueling station, to enable uninterrupted large-volume refueling.
"This station performance upgrade is part of an advancement project that dramatically expands hydrogen use into the industrial and logistics sectors," an Ulsan city official said. "We will build a world-class hydrogen mobility leading city model to actively support local companies' carbon neutrality and enhance their competitiveness."
