Hyundai delivered on its hydrogen fuel cell truck promises last month – handing over the world’s first mass-produced FC electric heavy-duty trucks to seven Swiss customers…as it said it would.
And it announced plans to quickly also take the XCIENT Fuel Cell to the United States and China.
Hyundai Motor says it will have 50 XCIENTs on the road in Switzerland this year – but the numbers will quickly ramp up spectacularly: Its production capacity will be up to 2000 trucks next year…
And by 2030 it aims to have sold 27,000 fuel cell electric trucks, predicting that by then more than 12,000 fuel cell trucks will be working in the US – and pointing out that China plans to have a million HFC trucks on the road within a decade…and it plans to help that happen.
“The delivery of XCIENT Fuel Cell starts a new chapter, not only for Hyundai’s hydrogen push, but also the global community’s use of hydrogen as a clean energy source,” said In Cheol Lee, Hyundai Motors’ executive VP and head of commercial vehicles.
“Today’s delivery is just a beginning, as it opens endless possibilities for clean mobility.” The company is, he said, “already making great progress” in its plans to expand into the US and China.
It is partnering with companies in the US to invest $US7.7billion on a hydrogen ecosystem, including production, charging stations, service and maintenance.
In China, it is “currently discussing cooperative initiatives such as a joint venture with local partners” and will launch a medium-duty FCE truck there in 2022, to be followed by a HD truck within “a couple of years.”
The Swiss XCIENTs are leased to transport operators, supported by a “robust” hydrogen ecosystem created in part by a JV between Hyundai and a Swiss energy company. Hyundai is working on similar arrangements around Europe.
The XCIENT is powered by a 190kW hydrogen fuel cell system, with seven large hydrogen tanks. 
The driving range per charge for a 4x2 XCIENT refrigerated truck and trailer unit, running at 34 tonnes all-up, is about 400 kilometres. It can be refuelled in eight to 20 minutes. 
Hyundai says it will introduce a new model XCIENT in the next few years, featuring an e-axle and two 200kW fuel cell systems. The range will include 4x2 and 6x2 rigids and 4x2 tractors – the latter with a 1000km range at 44t all-up.
The current XCIENT is rated up to a 36t GCM as a truck and trailer, or 19t as a truck-only, with a tare weight of just under 10t. It has an Allison automatic transmission and a Siemens 350kW/3400Nm motor/inverter, giving the truck an 85km/h maximum speed. It has disc brakes, a four-stage retarder and a suite of electronic safety systems, plus smart cruise control.