Hyundai Upgrades its Hydrogen Fuel Cell Truck For Global Expansion

Continuing its quest to be a smart mobility solution provider, Hyundai Motor Company today announced the up-gradation in design and performance of its hydrogen-powered XCIENT fuel cell heavy-duty truck. The company released the image of the newly advanced truck and says, with these updates, Hyundai’s zero-emission heavy-duty vehicle will become even more attractive to corporate fleet customers all over the world.  Trucks have been seen as a more attractive use case for Hydrogen powered transportation, considering the long distances they travel, an area where Hydrogen is seen to have a slight advantage over EV’s.  

Along with this, the company has announced that it is planning to expand its hydrogen fuel cell technology across Europe, North America, and China regions by rolling out more trucks. 

Speaking of the new truck, the CEO and President of Commercial Vehicle Division at Hyundai Motor Company, Jaehoon (Jay) Chang said, “With 2021 XCIENT Fuel Cell, Hyundai will contribute to the widespread adoption of commercial vehicles powered by hydrogen.”

What’s new?

The production of Hyundai’s new 2021 XCIENT Fuel Cell is expected to start in August this year. The updated exterior design expresses XCIENT Fuel Cell’s dynamic and eco-friendly performance.

It is equipped with a 180-kW hydrogen fuel cell system with two 90-kW fuel cell stacks, newly modified for this heavy-duty truck model. The 350-kW e-motor with maximum torque of 2,237 Nm further enables dynamic driving performance.

Seven large hydrogen tanks offer a combined storage capacity of around 31 kg of fuel, while three 72-kWh high voltage batteries provide an additional source of power. The maximum driving range of the 2021 XCIENT Fuel Cell is set to be around 400 km. Refueling a full tank of hydrogen takes about 8 to 20 minutes, depending on the ambient temperature. The hydrogen truck is now available in a 6×2 rigid body configuration as well as the 4×2 option introduced in the previous model. At estimated sale prices expected to be in the range of $40,000 to $50,000, the firm hopes that its trucks will be almost at par with diesel powered competitors eventually. 

 

As of May 2021, the cumulative driving range of those trucks in operation reached over 750,000 kilometers. Its hydrogen-powered trucks have reduced carbon emissions by an estimated 585 tons, compared to diesel-powered vehicles, as per the company’s claims.

Hyundai announced the shipment of another 140 units of the new XCIENT Fuel Cell towards Switzerland by the end of this year as part of its plan to roll out 1,600 heavy-duty fuel cell electric trucks in Europe by 2025. Additionally, Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility (HHM), a joint venture between Hyundai Motor and H2 Energy, is working on the introduction of XCIENT Fuel Cell in other European markets. 

“The customers are very pleased with the quality and driving comfort of the truck. There is a lot of interest in the truck outside Switzerland as well. We are very confident that we will see XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks on the road in other European countries next year,” says Mark Freymueller, CEO of Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility. 

Hyundai also plans to present XCIENT Fuel Cell to the North American market this year. The company is also planning to host XCIENT Fuel Cell roadshows and other events open to the general public. Along with that, Hyundai is thoroughly reviewing multiple options to introduce its fuel cell technology to corporate and government customers in China.