City to Provide 34.5 Million Won per Hydrogen Vehicle
Accelerating Transition to a Carbon-Neutral Transportation City
Taebaek City in Gangwon Province (Mayor Lee Sangho) will begin full-scale implementation of its 2026 subsidy program for the purchase of electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, taking steps to build an eco-friendly transportation system.
Taebaek City Hall. Provided by Taebaek City
The city aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve carbon neutrality by simultaneously promoting the distribution of electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, while focusing on easing the vehicle purchase burden for citizens, small business owners, corporations, and public institutions.
Through this program, Taebaek City plans to distribute a total of 280 electric vehicles (230 passenger cars and 50 commercial vehicles, including an initial batch of 150 passenger cars and 30 commercial vehicles) and 20 hydrogen fuel cell electric passenger vehicles. Electric vehicles will be supported in a more detailed and segmented manner by vehicle model and usage type, taking into account a wide range of demand groups including not only ordinary citizens but also taxi operators, delivery services, small business owners, and farmers. Hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles will be supplied to respond to growing demand for eco-friendly passenger cars.
In particular, for electric vehicles, in addition to the basic subsidy, extra support may be provided depending on vehicle type and purchase category for first-time purchases by young people, households with multiple children, lower-income households, small business owners, and those switching from old internal combustion engine vehicles. This is expected to deliver substantial, tangible benefits to citizens. For hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles, a flat-rate subsidy of 34.5 million won per vehicle will be provided, significantly reducing the initial purchase cost burden.
Subsidy recipients will be selected in the order of vehicle delivery and registration through the Zero-Emission Vehicle Subsidy Support System, and the program will close early once the budget is exhausted. Eligible applicants include individuals, sole proprietors, corporations, and public institutions that, as of the application date, have resided in or are located in Taebaek City for at least a specified period. Detailed eligibility criteria and subsidy amounts can be found in the announcement posted on the Taebaek City website and on the Zero-Emission Vehicle Integrated Website.
The electric vehicle distribution program will be carried out in two phases, in the first and second halves of the year, in accordance with program guidelines, while the hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicle distribution program will run through the end of the year.
A Taebaek City official said, “Expanding the supply of electric and hydrogen vehicles is more than a simple replacement of vehicles; it is an important turning point for realizing carbon neutrality in citizens’ daily lives,” adding, “We will work to improve air quality and advance the energy transition at the same time by expanding the supply of eco-friendly vehicles and charging infrastructure, and we will build a sustainable eco-friendly urban foundation.”
Meanwhile, in line with the expansion of eco-friendly vehicle distribution, Taebaek City is also building user infrastructure. The Taebaek City hydrogen refueling station began commercial operation on February 2, 2026, and, as the only hydrogen refueling facility along National Route 38, is expected to serve as a link between the southern region of Gangwon Province and the northern region of North Gyeongsang Province. Through this, the city plans to improve conditions for using hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles and promote the creation of a carbon-neutral transportation city.
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