By Jung Joo-ri and Hahm Hee-eun 

White cloud-like steam instead of black streams of gas exhaust puffs out of the new hydrogen-powered city bus in Seoul. The eco-friendly bus that purifies the air of fine dust made its debut in Seoul on Nov. 21.

The hydrogen city bus has been co-organized by Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the Ministry of Environment. Starting from Aug. 2019, the hydrogen city bus will run over the No. 405 bus route, five times a day. 

Bus No. 405 travels 43.9 km from Yeomgok-dong Seocho-gu District to Seoul City Hall. The bus will be powered at the hydrogen fuel charging station in Yangjae-dong.

In the process of generating electricity, the hydrogen-powered bus removes 99.9% of the pollutants in the air. As the air that contains oxygen and fine dust combines with the hydrogen inside the bus, clean water is emitted. The whole process is evaluated as being eco-friendly, as it does not create any air pollutants and purifies the air of fine dust. 

This is the second bus to make a debut since the first pilot operation of a hydrogen city bus in Ulsan on Oct. 22. The hydrogen buses for the pilot operation are Hyundai Corporation’s hydrogen electric shuttle bus, which was introduced to the world as a support vehicle for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in February.

The government plans to supply a total of 1,000 hydrogen city buses nationwide by 2022. Starting with this year, the pilot operation will increase in size. By next year, 30 hydrogen city buses are expected to be test-operated in six cities – Seoul, Gwangju, Ulsan, Changwon, Asan and Seosan.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government also plans to install six hydrogen fuel charging stations, including the existing two, at the public bus garages in Seoul by 2021.

Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon said, "The central and regional government have worked together on hydrogen city buses and hydrogen fuel charging facilities. I hope that there can be an increase in the infrastructure, so that the buses can play the role of a bridge to greater innovative growth in the future.” 


etoilejr@korea.kr