Hyundai, IIT Madras to set up ₹180 Cr green hydrogen R&D hub in Tamil Nadu

In a major step towards advancing India’s green hydrogen capabilities, Hyundai Motor India, in partnership with the Tamil Nadu government and IIT Madras, will establish a research and development facility dedicated to hydrogen technologies. Named the Hyundai HTWO Innovation Centre, the ₹180 crore facility will come up at IIT Madras’ Discovery Campus in Thaiyur and is scheduled to become operational by 2026.

Driving innovation in green hydrogen

The project was announced during the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet in January 2024 and is positioned as a key catalyst for India's transition to clean energy. The centre aims to deepen research in hydrogen production, storage, and application, with a special focus on its role in sustainable mobility and power solutions.

At the design unveiling event in Chennai, Tamil Nadu Industries Minister T R B Rajaa underscored the initiative’s significance, calling it a symbol of India’s growing technological prowess. “Tamil Nadu is proud to be at the forefront of automotive and clean-tech innovation. With institutions like IIT Madras and partners like Hyundai, we are setting the stage for India—and potentially Asia—to lead the R&D efforts in next-gen hydrogen technologies," he said.

A platform for global collaboration

The facility will span 65,000 sq ft and include state-of-the-art experimental and computational labs. These will enable the development of digital twins for hydrogen infrastructure, pilot-scale electrolyser and fuel cell systems, and test zones for industrial-scale containerised solutions.

Hyundai Motor India MD Unsoo Kim stated that the centre will be an “open innovation platform," bringing together international experts, Indian researchers, and industry partners to accelerate breakthroughs. “‘HTWO’—which stands for both ‘Hydrogen’ and ‘Humanity’—represents our vision to create sustainable and scalable solutions aligned with Hyundai’s global carbon neutrality goals," Kim noted.

Aligning with India’s sustainability vision

The Hyundai HTWO Innovation Centre will actively engage with stakeholders across academia, policy, and industry to build a robust green hydrogen ecosystem. According to IIT Madras Director V Kamakoti, this initiative will contribute to India’s Atmanirbhar Bharat goals and Net Zero target for 2070.

By enabling localisation of the hydrogen value chain and fostering public–private partnerships, the centre seeks to establish Tamil Nadu as a national—and possibly regional—hub for clean-tech innovation.

With this move, Hyundai Motor India reaffirms its long-term commitment to the Indian market, not just as a manufacturing base but as a cradle of future-ready, sustainable technologies.

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