Hyundai Motor Company's hydrogen refueling robot wins WHE 2026 Technology Innovation Grand Prize

[Financial News] An artificial intelligence (AI)-based automated charging robot for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles developed by Hyundai Motor Company has won the Hydrogen Industry Innovative Technology Grand Prize, selected by a group of Korean automotive journalists. Its automation technology, which recognizes a vehicle's charging port and connects the charging connector on its own, was highly praised. The robot is expected to help expand the adoption of hydrogen mobility by making hydrogen refueling more convenient and safer.
The Korea Automobile Journalists Association (KAJA) announced on the 12th that it had selected Hyundai Motor Company's automated charging robot for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles (Automatic Charging Robot-Hydrogen, ACR-H) as the grand prize winner, or “Best Pick,” at the H2 Best Product Media Awards, which it co-organized with the World Hydrogen Expo (WHE) organizing committee.
The awards recognized technologies and products from companies participating in WHE 2026, held from the 4th to the 6th at KINTEX in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province. A group of Korean automotive journalists visited the event in person and conducted a comprehensive evaluation of technological innovation, market potential and visitor response.
Hyundai Motor Company's ACR-H, which won the grand prize, is a device that automates the refueling process for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles by combining precision robotics with vision AI. It is designed to carry out a series of steps—from locating a vehicle's charging port and opening its protective cap to connecting the charging connector—without human intervention.
In particular, it has strengthened explosion-proof features tailored to the characteristics of hydrogen refueling stations and its durability in external environments, establishing a technological foundation for use at actual refueling sites. During the exhibition, it drew visitors' attention by demonstrating the entire process, from recognizing the charging port to connecting the connector.
Hyundai Motor Company's ACR-H also won an Excellence Award in the application category at the H2 Innovation Awards, co-organized by the WHE organizing committee and the Korea Planning & Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology. The award was seen as recognition of both the innovation and practical potential of automated refueling technology for hydrogen mobility.
Three companies—Next Energy, Donghwa Entec and Hyundai Rotem Company—were selected for the top award, “Excellent Pick.”
Next Energy won the top award for its infrared wireless communication system for hydrogen refueling. The technology transmits information on a hydrogen vehicle's tank pressure and temperature, as well as its refueling status, to the station without contact, enabling precise control of refueling. By handling the entire product development process in-house, the company laid the groundwork for localizing core communication devices that had relied on imports. It also won the grand prize at the H2 Innovation Awards.
Donghwa Entec won the top award for its hydrogen compressor, HexKomp, which uses its proprietary ionic pressurized sealing technology. The technology prevents hydrogen leaks and minimizes gas loss, thereby increasing compression efficiency.
Hyundai Rotem won the top award for its 3 MW-class hydrogen fuel cell locomotive. The vehicle is under development through 2028 with the aim of replacing aging diesel-electric locomotives. Because it can operate without external power-supply infrastructure, it is expected to reduce the cost of building infrastructure on non-electrified rail lines.
The WHE organizing committee said, “We saw the latest hydrogen technologies developed by Korean industry attracting considerable interest and opening up new business opportunities,” adding, “We will provide support so that innovative technologies can lead to tangible commercialization.”
Meanwhile, WHE 2026 this year drew 266 companies from 22 countries, and around 19,000 visitors attended during the event.
[email protected] Kim Dong-ho Reporter