HD Hyundai Infracore’s hydrogen engines “HX12” and “HX22” won the top honor, “Best Pick,” at the WHE 2025 Best Product Media Award.
The World Hydrogen Expo 2025 (WHE 2025) Organizing Committee, co-chaired by Nam-hoon Kang, Chairman of the Korea Automobile & Mobility Association, and Jae-hong Kim, Chairman of the Korea Hydrogen Alliance, announced the results of the WHE 2025 Best Product Media Award on December 11. The committee jointly organized the award with the Korea Automobile Journalists Association, chaired by Dae-yeol Choi.
Reporters from media outlets affiliated with the Korea Automobile Journalists Association visited WHE 2025, the world’s largest hydrogen industry exhibition, held at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province, from December 4 to December 7. The reporters reviewed all exhibited products and technologies in person and selected outstanding products through voting based on audience response, market potential, and technological innovation.
As a result, the Best Pick award went to HD Hyundai Infracore’s hydrogen engines “HX12” and “HX22.” The Excellent Pick awards went to Hyundai Motor Group’s “Mobile Hydrogen Refueling Station,” APGreen’s “Distributed Low-Power Hydrogen Production System (APG-Series),” and KMCP’s “Hydrogen Fuel Cell Propulsion Boat (EL-KUS).”
Among the hydrogen engines that earned Best Pick honors, HD Hyundai Infracore’s “HX12” is an 11-liter hydrogen engine for vehicles and power generation that returned to the winners’ list for a second consecutive year. The company targets mass production next year. The “HX22,” which debuted publicly at WHE 2025, is the world’s largest 22-liter hydrogen engine. It features a V-type 12-cylinder configuration and delivers a maximum output of 600 kW (816 horsepower) and a continuous output of 477 kW (649 horsepower), enough to meet the annual electricity demand of about 200 households. Media outlets gave high marks to the engines by recognizing both the efficiency and platform versatility demonstrated by the HX12 and the large-capacity scalability of the HX22.
Hyundai Motor Group’s mobile hydrogen refueling station, which received an Excellent Pick award, mounts core hydrogen refueling equipment such as compressors, storage vessels, cooling systems, and dispensers on a truck or large trailer. The new station supports 700-bar high-pressure refueling. Its mobility and compact installation footprint address space constraints effectively, allowing operators to deploy it first in areas with limited refueling infrastructure to stimulate initial demand.
The station can also operate as a converged refueling facility at urban gas stations and LPG stations, helping reduce waiting inconvenience during peak hours. Judges valued its contribution to improving accessibility to hydrogen refueling.
APGreen’s “Distributed Low-Power Hydrogen Production System (APG-Series)” and KMCP’s “Hydrogen Fuel Cell Propulsion Boat (EL-KUS)” also received Excellent Pick honors.
The distributed low-power hydrogen production system uses a container-integrated structure based on catalytic partial oxidation (C-POX) to produce anhydrous hydrogen and generate power. The system produces hydrogen from LNG or biogas and generates electricity through an integrated fuel cell (PEMFC). By leveraging exothermic reactions, it produces up to 20 kilograms of hydrogen and 300 kWh of electricity per day without external hydrogen supply or process water.
The hydrogen fuel cell propulsion boat integrates a hybrid propulsion system that combines a 95 kW hydrogen fuel cell with a 100 kW battery, delivering a total output of 180 kW. The boat reaches a maximum speed of 20 knots and travels up to 60 kilometers. A 700-bar hydrogen tank with a capacity of 6.2 kilograms allows refueling at existing hydrogen stations. An integrated control system supports Level 2 to Level 3 autonomous navigation, while automotive mass-production technologies enhance reliability and ease of maintenance.
Nam-hoon Kang, Co-Chair of the WHE 2025 Organizing Committee, said, “WHE 2025 introduced a wide range of cutting-edge technologies from the global hydrogen industry and drew strong attention.” He added, “We hope the Best Product Media Award helps innovative technologies gain recognition and spread more quickly across the industry, and the organizing committee will continue expanding global partnerships and technical exchanges to support the growth of the hydrogen ecosystem.”
Meanwhile, WHE 2025 concluded after four days with participation from 279 companies and institutions across 26 countries and attracted about 25,000 visitors. Alongside the exhibition, the event hosted conferences, the H2 Business Partnership Fair, and hydrogen talk concerts, reinforcing its role as a global hydrogen industry platform.
