Kia working on hydrogen-fuelled cars

November 2011

Kia is continuing to lead the way in alternative-powered car technology, working towards providing a larger share of hydrogen-fuelled cars to the market.

The marque was one of seven manufacturers to sign an agreement last year to make Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles (FCEV) commercially available by 2015.

Kia believes the technology is the key to long-distance driving with zero emissions, providing an alternative to electric cars.

A chemical reaction is created when hydrogen and oxygen are combined in a fuel stack to produce electricity. The process creates only one waste-by product - pure water.

Kia produced the first electric car 25 years ago, and released its first FCEV in 2003.

However the cars are currently faced with two dilemmas - fuel stacks are extensive to produce, and hydrogen refuelling infrastructure is extremely limited.

As an incentive, the manufacturer's home country South Korea is starting to establish a hydrogen fuel station network.

The company has not yet decided which model in its range will be the first to go on sale with a fuel cell, but it has committed to introducing alternative fuel sources to their Kia models.

Kia's reported earnings for the July to September period saw sales surge 14.9 per cent.