Hyundai commits $6b build hydrogen, AI, and solar innovation hub

A 200 MW hydrogen plant will produce clean energy.

Hyundai Motor Group has announced plans to invest $6b (KRW9t) to establish a high-tech innovation hub in Saemangeum, Gunsan, targeting hydrogen production, artificial intelligence, and renewable energy.

The project is backed by the South Korean government and Jeonbuk Province.

The hub will feature a 200 MW PEM electrolyser plant producing clean hydrogen from local renewable energy sources.

The facility will supply hydrogen to buses, trams, and other mobility solutions whilst laying the foundation for a fully integrated hydrogen ecosystem, including storage, distribution, and refueling infrastructure. Hyundai plans to expand electrolyzer capacity nationwide to 1 GW.

To power the complex sustainably, the group will develop a gigawatt-scale solar energy portfolio by 2035, building on its existing 99 MW solar facility.

The solar infrastructure will provide reliable power for AI data centers and other energy-intensive operations while advancing Hyundai’s carbon neutrality goals.

AI technologies will be applied across robotics, smart city systems, and energy management, integrating clean energy and mobility solutions.

Construction is scheduled to begin on the AI data center and solar power infrastructure in 2027, with completion expected by 2029. The PEM electrolyser plant will also break ground in 2027, start operations in 2029, and undergo phased capacity expansion thereafter. The robotics cluster is planned to start construction in 2028 and finish in 2029.

Hyundai said it is engaging with funding partners, including the Korea Development Bank, to structure financing for the project.