Pulmuone runs local food industry's first hydrogen truck

A hydrogen truck deployed by Pulmuone is parked at the company's logistics depot in Eumseong County, North Chungcheong Province, Wednesday. Courtesy of Pulmuone

By Ko Dong-hwan

Pulmuone has deployed the local food industry's first hydrogen truck to reduce the company's emissions and contribute to the country's carbon neutralization goal, the food company said Monday.

It said two 11-ton hydrogen trucks have been rolled out this month to transport room-temperature products like dried seaweed and dried noodles. It chose the eco-friendly vehicles over cheaper diesel-based trucks to strengthen its environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG).

Made by Hyundai Motor and sold at a competitive cost subsidized by the Ministry of Environment, the trucks can travel up to 370 kilometers per day without emitting greenhouse gases. The distance is over 32 percent more than the 280 kilometers of smaller combustion-engine trucks with 1- to 3-ton capacities. They also recharge at a faster speed than conventional electric vehicles, according to the company.

Pulmuone said it estimates the new hydrogen trucks will save up to 163 tons of greenhouse gases per year ― equivalent to what can be absorbed by 63,000 pine trees planted over an area as large as 21 soccer fields.

The company plans to introduce two additional hydrogen trucks that can transport products in a refrigerated setting next year. By 2030, the company expects to have over 70 hydrogen trucks for transporting both room-temperature and refrigerated products.

The trucks are part of the fleet of 100 Hyundai hydrogen trucks the environment ministry planned last March to distribute to local logistic firms, food product makers and government agencies by the end of this year to spur the vehicle's sales and reduce transport-based emissions. Each 11-ton hydrogen truck costs over 400 million won ($300,000) but the ministry said up to 250 million won of this will be subsidized so that the trucks can be as affordable as diesel trucks with the same capacity.

Hydrogen trucks are considered an effective alternative to combustion engine trucks which emit 150 times more tiny particulate matter particles harmful to the environment. The ministry previously announced that combustion engine trucks should be replaced with hydrogen or electric vehicles as promptly as possible.