Hyundai unveils commercialized model of Xcient Fuel Cell tractor

MANILA: Hyundai Motor Company has introduced the new commercialized model of the Xcient Fuel Cell tractor for the North American market at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo held at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, USA until May 4.

The Xcient Fuel Cell debuted in 2022 and is now being used in five countries, including Switzerland, Germany, Israel, Korea, and New Zealand. The Xcient Fuel Cell is the only heavy-duty fuel cell electric vehicle with real-world application.

The Xcient Fuel Cell model exhibited at the event is a 6x4 tractor with two 90kW hydrogen fuel cell systems and a 350kW e-motor. It weighs 82,000 lbs and has a range of over 720km.

The Xcient Fuel Cell features the hydrogen fuel cell system developed by HTWO, the hydrogen energy business brand of Hyundai Motor Group.

In the industry panel discussion “Staying Ahead of the Curve: Emerging Vehicle Availability”, which discussed fleet procurement, fuel cell storage systems, and next-generation fuel cell electric vehicle technologies, Hyundai Motor Company Commercial Vehicle Development Head Martin Zeilinger emphasized how the company leads in fuel cell technologies with products and services that are tried and tested globally.

“Hyundai has been focusing on hydrogen for over 20 years. Our advanced fuel cell technology already is in use through various applications and especially in the commercial vehicle sector, showing its powerful performance and reliability.” 

Meanwhile, in a press briefing, Hyundai Motor Company Executive Vice President and Global Commercial Vehicle and Hydrogen Fuel Cell Business Head Ken Ramirez highlighted the importance of carbon neutrality in Hyundai’s “Progress for Humanity” vision.

“We firmly believe that hydrogen is one of the most powerful and pragmatic solutions for achieving our vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’ with emission-free mobility as a fundamental pillar for a sustainable society. Our hydrogen fuel cell technology has pioneered the industry, with a real-world proven track record of its efficiency and durability. We are leveraging these merits to further transform transportation with hydrogen energy for a broad range of mobility applications, including commercial vehicles, marine vessels and even air mobility. We now look beyond mobility toward an integrated hydrogen ecosystem, from production of hydrogen to its storage, transport and delivery. Hyundai is uniquely positioned to cover all aspects and deliver a seamless solution across the value chain,” Ramirez stated.

Hyundai Motor Company Senior Vice President and Commercial Vehicle Business Innovation Head Mark Freymueller also announced the company’s plan for Xcient Fuel Cell trucks, emphasizing the collaborations that they have formed to establish a solid hydrogen value chain that will accelerate the adoption of clean fleets in the US.

“For years, we have been initiating hydrogen value chains in various regions. Together with our partners, we are making hydrogen mobility a viable solution for our customers. We go beyond the truck itself to include areas such as hydrogen refueling and truck maintenance. Here in the US, we plan to do the same, since each case needs its tailor-made service approach, especially during the transition phase from traditional to hydrogen. We plan to provide the best hydrogen value chain scenario for each and every customer,” Freymueller said.

Hyundai plans to establish more partnerships and ventures to become a fleet operation solutions provider for hydrogen truck customers in the US.

Hyundai also revealed that they are planning to launch a sustainable commercial vehicle business incubation project at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA), an electric vehicle plant being constructed in Georgia. The project will be focused on the creation of a hydrogen mobility value chain. HMGMA will be using state-of-the-art technologies to produce up to 300,00 electric vehicles per year and a groundbreaking production platform developed by the Hyundai Motor Group Innovation Center in Singapore (HMGICS). HMGMA will also employ an environmentally friendly logistics system using hydrogen fuel cell trucks and a hydrogen value chain.

With its benefits in production, transportation, and storage, hydrogen is considered by Hyundai as the clean energy solution for commercial vehicles. As an energy provider with high density, hydrogen enables fuel cell electric vehicles to produce consistent output in long drives and transportation of heavy loads. Compared to battery electric vehicles, fuel cell electric vehicles provide better work efficiency as their quicker refueling helps reduce downtime.

Hyundai also anticipates that the total cost of ownership of fuel cell electric vehicles will reduce eventually, considering the strong support of the US government and the entry of more players in the hydrogen market. The company also believes that climate change and supply chain issues will accelerate the adoption of clean energy sources.

Photos from Hyundai Motor Company

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