SEOUL, Korea, Feb. 7, 2003 - Hyundai Motor Co. is teaming up with its DaimlerChrysler, Toyota, Ford, Nissan and PSA Peugeot-Citroen to test and evaluate the performance of a new high pressure hydrogen storage system for application in fuel cell vehicles.

“We compete but we also cooperate,” said Dr. Kwon Moon-Sik, executive vice president of the Advanced Technology Group which is spearheading Hyundai’s research into alternative fueled vehicles.

The results of the evaluation will be used to build a database which will be reviewed by world standardization committees for high pressure hydrogen systems.

The new fuel storage system will store compressed hydrogen on-board vehicles at pressures of up to 700bar facilitating the design of fuel cell vehicles with a driving range that is comparable to that of petroleum-powered vehicles.

Current hydrogen fuel storage prototypes used 350bar pressure limiting the vehicles operating range. Increasing the pressure to 700bar poses new technical and standardization challenges. A cooperative effort among the world’s leading automakers will pave the way for establishing a global basis for standards for a 700bar storage system.

The evaluation project is being managed by Canada’s Powertech Labs and the assistance of Kokan Drum of Japan. The project will be completed by January 2004.

Hyundai Motor Global PR Team:
Jake Jang, Manager, tel. (82) 2 3464 2117 or e-mail projjk@hyundai-motor.com or Sang(William) Park, tel (82) 2 3464 2118 or e-mail swpark@hyundai-motor.com

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