Hyundai steps up its hydrogen push

A grant from the United State's Environmental Protection Agency will see Hyundai Motor company roll out five of its hydrogen trucks for the First Element Fuel company in California

Five XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks from Hyundai will be tasked with hauling liquid hydrogen for First Element Fuel in California thanks to a $3.5 million grant from the United State’s Environmental Protection Agency.

The hydrogen trucks will replace five diesel trucks in the fleet of FEF which is the largest operator of hydrogen-refuelling stations in the US.

The selection of the XCIENT Fuel Cell demonstration project recognises the significant emissions reduction benefits of Hyundai Motor’s fuel cell electric truck technology.

The XCIENT Fuel Cell 6×4 tractor model participating in the demonstration is equipped with a 180 kW fuel cell system and e-motor with a maximum output of 350 kW. 

The tractor’s hydrogen tank can hold 67 kg of hydrogen with the battery providing 72 kWh for a gross combined weight of 37,200 kg to deliver an average range of over 450 miles per tank.

The trucks will be rolled out on a five year schedule, with the first year forming part of a demonstration of the technology, with regular reporting to the EPA, and the following four in a purely commercial capacity.

“Hyundai is actively engaged in setting up a carbon neutral hydrogen value chain around the world,” says Hyundai’s senior vice president and head of Commercial Vehicle Business Innovation Mark Freymueller.

“We are happy to deploy our XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks in California, especially since this will help local stakeholders to decarbonise the hydrogen supply chain itself by substituting conventional trucks, which have been used to haul hydrogen – to hydrogen trucks.”

The project is led by the South Coast Air Quality Management District (South Coast AQMD), which applied for the TAG funding.

“This is where change starts. Reducing pollution from heavy-duty trucks and construction equipment brings us closer to the cleaner air that our communities deserve” says South Coast AQMD’s executive officer Wayne Nastri.

“We look forward to seeing this project come to life and deployed in Southern California.”

The EPA’s TAG program aims to reduce air pollution in areas of the nation with the highest levels of ambient ozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution.

Last year, Hyundai Motor also announced its NorCal Zero project, also known as Zero-Emission Regional Truck Operations with Fuel Cell Electric Trucks.

Hyundai Motor will begin operating 30 Class 8 XCIENT Fuel Cell electric trucks in California starting in the second quarter of 2023. This will be the largest commercial deployment of Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks in the US.

Launched in 2020 by Hyundai Motor, XCIENT Fuel Cell is the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell electric heavy-duty truck.

The company has already deployed 47 units in Switzerland where they have accumulated more than four million kilometers in driving as of July 2022.

Hyundai Motor will leverage insights from these public-private partnerships to further drive commercial vehicle decarbonisation through hydrogen fuel cell electric technology advancement.

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