Hyundai Motor Company is testing heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell trucks in Switzerland, where the manufacturer says 23 companies have logged more than 3 million miles in logistics, distribution, and fulfillment operations.
The South Korean company has exported 47 Xcient Fuel Cell hydrogen-powered, zero-emission commercial trucks to Switzerland since 2020.
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“Xcient Fuel Cell is the world’s first heavy-duty fuel cell truck to achieve 5 million km (3.1 million miles) of cumulative driving in real-life customer operations,” said Mark Freymueller, senior vice president and head of commercial vehicle business innovation at Hyundai. “The experience we’ve gained and the milestone we’ve achieved in Switzerland will provide good insights to many countries that are preparing to transition to a sustainable hydrogen society.
“Based on this proven track record of successful operation in Switzerland, we’ll expand this business throughout Europe.”
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In 2019, Hyundai Motor established Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility (HHM) in partnership with Swiss company H2 Energy, which partnered with the H2 Mobility Switzerland Association, a hydrogen fueling network builder and Xcient customer, and green hydrogen production company Hydrospider. Hyundai Motor is playing a crucial role in creating an emission-free, green hydrogen fuel cell heavy-duty truck ecosystem where vehicle supply, hydrogen fueling, and green hydrogen production are organically connected.
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The Xcient Fuel Cell is equipped with a 180-kW hydrogen fuel cell system with two 90-kW fuel cell stacks. The system’s durability and the vehicle’s overall fuel efficiency are tailored to the demands of commercial fleet customers. The 350-kW e-motor with maximum torque of 2,237 Nm enables dynamic driving performance. Its seven large hydrogen tanks offer a combined storage capacity of around 31 kg of fuel, while a 72-kWh-powered set of three batteries supports the performance.
The driving range is over 400 km (248 miles) per charge in real world conditions, Hyundai said. Refueling a full tank of hydrogen takes about eight to 20 minutes, depending on the ambient temperature.
This article originally appeared on BulkTransporter.com.
