Green Light for Green Hydrogen: Hyundai's New R&D Hub

Hyundai Motor India Ltd (HMIL), in collaboration with IIT Madras and Guidance Tamil Nadu, has unveiled the design for the Hyundai HTWO Innovation Centre—a cutting-edge green hydrogen R&D facility. The design was presented by Tamil Nadu Industries Minister TRB Rajaa, marking a significant step toward building India’s hydrogen economy.

The centre, born out of a strategic MoU signed during the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet 2024, will be located at IIT Madras’ Discovery Campus in Thaiyur, Chennai. Spread over 65,000 sq. ft., the facility is expected to be operational by 2026. HMIL and its CSR arm, Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF), are contributing ₹100 crore, with the total project cost estimated at ₹180 crore.

The facility will feature advanced labs for hydrogen research, pilot-scale testing of electrolysers and fuel cells, and demonstration zones for industrial applications. Minister Rajaa called the initiative “a powerful collaboration to strengthen India’s hydrogen ecosystem.”

HMIL MD Unsoo Kim highlighted the centre’s potential for “global-local collaboration,” while IIT Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti underscored its role in decarbonisation, energy independence, and building a skilled hydrogen workforce in line with India’s 2070 net-zero goal.

News by Rahul Yelligetti.