Hyundai's XCIENT fuel cell fleet racks up 5 million kilometers

Hyundai Motor Company’s fleet of XCIENT Fuel Cell heavy-duty trucks in Switzerland has accumulated more than 5 million kilometers in two years. Starting in 2020, the company exported 47 units of the hydrogen-powered, zero-emission commercial trucks to 23 Swiss companies, which are using them for logistics, distribution, and supermarket fulfillment.

“XCIENT Fuel Cell is the world’s first heavy-duty fuel cell truck to achieve 5 million km of cumulative driving in real-life customer operation,” says Mark Freymueller, Senior Vice President and Head of Commercial Vehicle Business Innovation at Hyundai Motor Company. “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 will expand this business throughout Europe.”

In 2019 Hyundai Motor established Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility (HHM) in partnership with Swiss company H2 Energy which partnered with 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.

The XCIENT Fuel Cell is equipped with a 180kW hydrogen fuel cell system with two 90kW fuel cell stacks. The system’s durability and the vehicle’s overall fuel efficiency are tailored to the demands of commercial fleet customers. The 350kW e-motor with maximum torque of 2,237Nm enables dynamic driving performance. Its seven large hydrogen tanks offer a combined storage capacity of around 31kg of fuel, while a 72kWh powered set of three batteries supports the performance. The driving range is over 400km per charge in real world conditions. Refueling a full tank of hydrogen takes about 8 to 20 minutes, depending on the ambient temperature.

XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks are operated in various fields, including logistics, manufacturing, and retail fulfillment, in various key markets, demonstrating Hyundai Motor’s leadership in fuel cell technology. In August 2022, Hyundai Motor announced its successful entry into Germany with seven local companies planning to deploy XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks into fleet service with the German government’s funding for an eco-friendly commercial vehicle initiative. More recently, Hyundai Motor secured the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s 2021 Targeted Airshed Grants (TAG) funding to deploy further XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks in California in addition to 30 trucks which will be rolled out in the NorCal Zero project starting their operation in the Port of Oakland mid next year.