Probably never.
So why did Hyundai dedicate part of its CES speech to a generation adapted to long-haul trucking, steelmaking, and shipping?
The undeniable answer is greenwashing. It’s true that Hyundai has been investing in hydrogen fuel cells for decades, but it’s also been one of the most successful old automakers in the electric transition. It’s that a company with so much momentum on its side is releasing a hydrogen hailstone. Mary.
But perhaps Hyundai’s electric car launch will rarely go as planned. Perhaps the cars will be as profitable as the company would like. Maybe the company is scrambling to get batteries. Or maybe you’ll realize that more than 90% of its sales are still powered by fossil fuels and that, in terms of EV market share, the company is lagging behind. It may be the third-largest automaker in the world, but it only ranks eighth in terms of battery electric vehicles.