Doosan Bobcat has taken a first step towards pioneering the commercialisation of hydrogen fuel cell forklifts in Korea.
On January 31, the inaugural hydrogen forklift was rolled out at a ceremony held at the Incheon forklift factory.
The event was attended by Doosan Bobcat Korea president Hyungwon Park, alongside guests and executives, as well as Youngbum Kum, Executive Director at Hyundai Mobis, which collaborated on the development of the equipment.
The forklift is a 3-tonne model equipped with a 20-kW fuel cell and is set for delivery to the Korea Zinc’s Onsan refinery in Ulsan, Korea. While prototypes of hydrogen fuel cell forklifts have been previously introduced in the industry, Doosan Bobcat marks the first to complete development and have a commercially viable product ready for shipment.
“As Korea’s first manufacturer to produce forklifts in 1968, Doosan Bobcat is proud to continue paving the way for the country by commercialising hydrogen fuel cell forklifts,” Park said.
“We are committed to actively participating in the expansion of hydrogen mobility, as it’s a pivotal future energy source in the low-carbon era.”
Doosan Bobcat is also exploring opportunities for hydrogen fuel cell forklift expansion with various companies and local governments. The company has set a target to supply 30 hydrogen forklifts in 2024, following the certification of a 3-ton model with a 10-kW fuel cell later this year.
Furthermore, plans are underway to diversify the hydrogen forklift range with 2t and 5t models while efforts are being made to broaden the company’s portfolio of hydrogen-based products, including hydrogen skid-steer loaders, currently under development with Doosan Corporation.