Watch: Hyundai Rolls Out World’s First Fuel Cell Heavy-Duty Truck

Hyundai Motor Company has shipped the first 10 units of the Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell, the world’s first mass-produced fuel cell heavy-duty truck, to Switzerland.

The company plans to ship a total of 50 XCIENT Fuel Cells to Switzerland this year, with handover to commercial fleet customers starting in September.

Hyundai plans to roll out a total of 1,600 XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks by 2025.

In Cheol Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Commercial Vehicle Division at Hyundai Motor said: “XCIENT Fuel Cell is a present-day reality, not as a mere future drawing board project. By putting this groundbreaking vehicle on the road now, Hyundai marks a significant milestone in the history of commercial vehicles and the development of hydrogen society.

“Building a comprehensive hydrogen ecosystem, where critical transportation needs are met by vehicles like XCIENT Fuel Cell, will lead to a paradigm shift that removes automobile emissions from the environmental equation.”

“Having introduced the world’s first mass-produced fuel-cell electric passenger vehicle, the ix35, and the second-generation fuel cell electric vehicle, the NEXO, Hyundai is now leveraging decades of experience, world-leading fuel-cell technology, and mass-production capability to advance hydrogen in the commercial vehicle sector with the XCIENT Fuel Cell.”

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XCIENT is powered by a 190-kW hydrogen fuel cell system with dual 95-kW fuel cell stacks.

Seven large hydrogen tanks offer a combined storage capacity of around 32.09 kg of hydrogen.

The driving range per charge for XCIENT Fuel Cell is about 400km. Refueling time for each truck takes approximately 8~20 minutes.

Fuel cell technology is particularly well-suited to commercial shipping and logistics due to long ranges and short refueling times. The dual-mounted fuel cell system provides enough energy to drive the heavy-duty trucks up and down the mountainous terrain in the region.

Hyundai Motor is developing a long-distance tractor unit capable of traveling 1,000 kilometers on a single charge equipped with an enhanced fuel cell system with high durability and power, aimed at global markets including North America and Europe.

Hyundai Motor Group aims to secure a 700,000-unit-a-year capacity of fuel cell systems for automobiles as well as vessels, rail cars, drones and power generators by 2030.

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