Hyundai Rotem Wins the Main Prize at the ‘iF Design Award’

Hydrogen electric tram, first in the domestic railway industry, won a prize in the world’s third generation design contest
Improving the future city environment and protecting the transportation vulnerable… First line at BEXCO in Busan in June

Hyundai Rotem’s hydrogen-powered tram won a global design award for the first time in the domestic railway industry.

Hyundai Rotem announced on the 16th that the hydrogen-powered tram won the main prize in the product category at Germany’s ‘2023 iF Design Award (International Forum Design Award)’.

The ‘iF Design Award’, one of the world’s three most prestigious design awards, is awarded in seven categories: product, package, communication, interior, professional concept, user experience (UX) and user interface (UI), and architecture. It is an international competition that judges about 10,000 projects in consideration of aspects such as innovation and skill, functionality, aesthetics, social responsibility, and positioning by 130 design experts from around the world.

Hyundai Rotem’s hydrogen electric tram is a next-generation eco-friendly transportation method that uses hydrogen as a power source. Research and development began in 2021 as a demonstration project supervised by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, and the final development is expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The hydrogen electric tram is designed to emphasize not only aesthetic design elements but also practicality considering the safety of passengers.

First of all, the driver’s cab and front of the hydrogen-powered tram are designed to minimize injuries in the event of a pedestrian collision and maximize the driver’s field of view by reflecting the strict safety technical specifications of the French Public Transport Technology Agency (STRMTG).

In particular, the daytime running lights (DRL) applied to the front symbolize the sustainable future scalability of hydrogen, and the two semicircles shaped with hydrogen molecules on the side of the body further emphasize the identity of the hydrogen-powered tram, which will be the next-generation means of transportation.

In addition, various elements sufficient to be reborn as a local landmark have been incorporated, such as an open interior design that considers passenger flow to induce smoother boarding and disembarkation, and surface-emitting direct lighting applied to the ceiling to create a differentiated indoor atmosphere from general trams.

Hyundai Rotem plans to actively publicize the social positive function of hydrogen-powered trams with this award as an opportunity. Hydrogen electric trams can purify about 800 μg (micrograms) of fine dust per hour and produce 107.6 kg of clean air. As a next-generation public transportation, it is expected to contribute to improving the overall quality of life of citizens as it is possible to operate low-floor operation that guarantees the mobility of the transportation vulnerable.

As a global eco-friendly railway vehicle manufacturer, Hyundai Rotem has continuously built up its tram technology capabilities until the development of hydrogen-powered trams. In 2013, it developed a hybrid low-floor tram with wired and wireless wires, and in 2018, it also secured the world’s first technology for a low-floor driving device that can drive trams even on sharp curves with a radius of 15m.

Based on this technological prowess, the company won orders for trams in Izmir and Antalya, Turkey in 2014 and 2015, followed by Warsaw trams in Poland and Edmonton trams in Canada in 2019 and 2021, respectively are receiving.

An official from Hyundai Rotem said, “The hydrogen electric tram will be unveiled to the public for the first time at the ‘2023 Busan International Railroad Technology Industry Exhibition’ to be held in BEXCO, Busan in June.” I will do my best to contribute,” he said.

Photo. A bird’s-eye view of the hydrogen-powered tram that won the main prize at the ‘iF Design Award’