Slovakia, with its four state-of-the-art carmakers, an extensive network of suppliers and the highest number of cars manufactured per 1,000 citizens, is a global automotive superpower. To keep this position, it needs its car plants to remain competitive and keep up with the latest trends. E-mobility is just one of them; the latest hot topic is hydrogen technology.
“Hydrogen as an energy carrier of the future has a huge long-term potential for Slovakia and can play a key role in our economy,” said Economy Minister Richard Sulík, stressing the environmental aspect of hydrogen when the waste product of its combustion is only water.
Hopes pinned on hydrogen
Shortly after the EU unveiled its Hydrogen Strategy in early July 2020, Sulík promised extensive support for hydrogen technologies in Slovakia. This will include subsidies for the purchase of hydrogen cars and building hydrogen charging stations.
The Hydrogen Technology Research Centre (CVVT) is to be launched at the end of 2020 or beginning of 2021 in Košice to do R&D in this field. One of its launching entities, the Technical University of Košice, has already been engaged in the R&D of hydrogen technologies for 13 years.