A hydrogen-electric tractor charges at the Taehwagang Station hydrogen charging facility after the system upgrade. [Ulsan City]
A hydrogen-electric tractor charges at the Taehwagang Station hydrogen charging facility after the system upgrade. [Ulsan City]

Ulsan has upgraded the hydrogen charging facility at Taehwagang Station — built as part of the city's hydrogen pilot city project — to become the nation's first station capable of serving hydrogen trucks and hydrogen fuel cell forklifts alongside other vehicle types. The upgrade also enables charging for hydrogen-electric tractors, which require 68.6 kilograms of hydrogen per hour, more than double the 32-kilogram capacity needed for hydrogen buses.

Nine other stations also received facility upgrades to allow hydrogen buses to charge alongside hydrogen passenger cars. The stations are located in Nam-gu — Tugether, Okdong and Sanggae — and in Buk-gu — Gyeong and Gyeongdong — as well as in Ulju-gun, where the Sinil, Green, Deokha and Eonyang stations were upgraded.

Of the 16 hydrogen charging stations currently operating in the Ulsan area, the city has upgraded all 10 of its publicly operated stations, making it easier for hydrogen vehicle users to charge closer to home.

The Taehwagang Station facility was built through a government-funded project to promote low-emission vehicles. It is the nation's third hydrogen pipeline supply station, following the Tugether station and the Sanggae SK Group hydrogen station, both in Nam-gu.

The station draws hydrogen directly from a 10.5-kilometer pipeline network running between Yeocheon Five-way Intersection and Hyomun Intersection in Nam-gu, improving both safety and supply efficiency. It can charge up to 80 kilograms of hydrogen per hour — enough to serve 336 passenger cars or 76 buses a day.

Previously, the station operated primarily for hydrogen passenger cars and hydrogen-electric buses. The latest upgrades extend that capability to hydrogen-electric tractors, hydrogen trucks and hydrogen fuel cell forklifts equipped with large-capacity hydrogen tanks.

Charging time for hydrogen-electric tractors has been cut from more than an hour to an average of 40 minutes, which is expected to speed up logistics operations. The addition of forklift charging is also expected to accelerate the adoption of hydrogen-powered equipment at industrial sites.

Ulsan began rolling out hydrogen electric vehicles in 2016 and has distributed 3,708 units to date. This year, the city plans to invest 43.5 billion won ($28.4 million) to add 393 more vehicles — 300 hydrogen passenger cars, 90 hydrogen buses and three hydrogen freight trucks.

"The upgrade to the public hydrogen charging infrastructure will improve convenience for users, and the Taehwagang Station's expanded capability to serve trucks, tractors and forklifts is expected to broaden hydrogen use across the industrial and logistics sectors," a city official said.


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