Hydrogen vehicles, trams, and robots… A glimpse into the future of the Hyundai Motor Group

An opportunity to encounter the future mobility technology of the Hyundai Motor Group in one place is opening up. It is 'Smart Energy Plus (SEP) 2026,' held from the 28th to the 30th at Hall B of COEX in Samsung-dong, Seoul. In addition to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles and electric purpose-built vehicles (PBVs), various attractions are prepared, including quadruped walking robots roaming throughout the exhibition hall and hydrogen fuel cell trams experienced through virtual reality (VR).

The Hyundai Motor Group will exhibit the hydrogen fuel cell vehicle 'The All New Nexo (Nexo),' which symbolically represents the group's future vision, Kia's first electrified PBV model 'The Kia PV5 (PV5),' and Boston Dynamics' quadruped walking robot 'Spot' at 'SEP 2026,' hosted by the National Assembly Hydrogen Economy Forum and co-hosted by Money Today and COEX. Hyundai Rotem has prepared a hydrogen fuel cell tram VR experience and a multi-legged walking robot. At the conference, Kim Young-hoon, head of the Robotics Business Division at Hyundai Motor's Robotics Lab, will introduce 'The Current State and Future of Physical AI Business.'

The Nexo unveiled by Hyundai is a next-generation passenger hydrogen fuel cell vehicle symbolizing the hydrogen energy vision and eco-friendly mobility innovation. It boasts a driving range of up to 720 km on a single charge and high-efficiency power performance based on a maximum motor output of 150 kW (kilowatts). Future-oriented design covering both urban and outdoor environments, as well as top-tier safety and convenience features in its class, are also characteristics. Visitors can directly examine Hyundai's hydrogen fuel cell vehicle technology and future-oriented design at the exhibition hall.

Kia will exhibit the PV5, its first electrified PBV model. The PV5 is a vehicle developed based on the PBV-dedicated electrified platform 'E-GMP.S' to respond to diverse customer needs. By integrating hardware and software solutions, it can be utilized for various purposes such as logistics, mobility services, and leisure activities. Hyundai Motor Group electric vehicles, including the PV5, are equipped with V2L (Vehicle-to-Load) functionality that supplies battery power to external electronic devices. The Hyundai Motor Group has also commercialized V2G (Vehicle-to-Grid) technology, which connects electric vehicle batteries to the power grid to exchange power bidirectionally.

Another attraction at this exhibition is Boston Dynamics' quadruped walking robot Spot. Spot is scheduled to roam throughout the exhibition hall for three days during the event period to greet visitors. It is an opportunity to see Spot actually moving up close. Spot supports tasks that are performed repetitively over long periods, such as detection, inspection, and patrol, in various industrial sites including energy, steel, and food. In early this year, it was utilized for nuclear facility decommissioning work in the UK. Recently, a demonstration was also released showing it applying Google Gemini to independently check and perform a to-do list written on a blackboard.

At the Hyundai Rotem exhibition booth, visitors can experience the future means of transportation, the hydrogen fuel cell tram, through VR (virtual reality). When visitors wear VR equipment, they can directly enter the interior of a hydrogen fuel cell tram in a virtual space to examine cabin convenience and experience the driver's seat. The hydrogen fuel cell tram operates using the HYBEAD power method, which efficiently combines a hydrogen fuel cell and an electric battery. A characteristic feature is that it generates its own power inside the vehicle, eliminating the need for overhead power supply lines on the road surface.

The technological capability of multi-legged walking robots moving across rugged terrain can also be directly verified. Hyundai Rotem will directly demonstrate a multi-legged walking robot developed with purely domestic technology at this exhibition. It is a domestically produced ground operation unmanned robot platform with major core components manufactured in Korea, capable of overcoming vertical obstacles such as slopes and stairs and moving even in harsh natural environments like shrubbery and mountains. It is equipped with remote control and sensor-based autonomous driving functions, and can be deployed for disinfection and obstacle removal missions by attaching body temperature measurement equipment and robot arms. It is also possible to utilize it for surveillance and reconnaissance by equipping it with daytime around cameras and nighttime close-range cameras.

If you directly examined future mobility technology at the exhibition hall, you can check the future of the robotics industry at the conference. A lecture by Kim Yeong-hun (Head), who leads the robotics business at Hyundai Motor's Robotics Lab and participated in the development of the mobile robot platform 'MobED,' will be held on the 29th. MobED is a small robot platform where four independently driven wheels move according to ground height differences to maintain horizontal balance. The 'top module' mounted on top can be freely replaced, allowing it to be utilized for various purposes such as logistics delivery and patrol drone stations.

Director Kim is expected to emphasize the importance of battery performance and energy efficiency in applying robots to industrial sites. In a pre-interview with Money Today, he said, "Cars only need to be charged once a week or 1-2 times after one charge, but robots repeat full charging and discharging 3-4 times a day," adding, "Even if the battery size appears small, considering usage volume and replacement cycles, the related market can turn rapidly."

Meanwhile, SEP 2026 presents future energy visions with massive participation from leading domestic and international energy and mobility companies and major institutional investors. At the exhibition hall, LG Group, Doosan Enerbility, Hyundai Rotem, Unison, as well as the Army, Seoul City, and the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, have set up booths to showcase next-generation energy acquisition strategies and technologies. In addition, global automobile brands including Hyundai Motor, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Porsche, and Polestar are participating, providing a venue where the latest electric vehicle and hydrogen vehicle strategies can be compared and experienced in one place.

The conference held over the three-day event period begins with an Army Forum, featuring speakers leading global semiconductor, battery, and power infrastructure industries who will unveil next-generation energy strategies. Executives from Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, Hyundai Motor, LG Electronics, POSCO Holdings, Bright Energy Partners, LG Energy Solution, Samsung SDI, SK On, OCI Power, and HD Hyundai Electric will take the stage to provide insights to attendees with core visions and strategies that will shake up the future energy market.