Hyundai delivers world’s first hydrogen trucks for commercial use
Hyundai Motor Company 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 will 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, reflecting the company’s environmental commitment and technological prowess as it works toward reducing CO2 emissions through zero-emission solutions.
“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,” said In Cheol Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Commercial Vehicle Division at Hyundai Motor. “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.”
The 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 is about 400km, which was developed with an optimal balance between the specific requirements from the potential commercial fleet customers and the refueling infrastructure in Switzerland. 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. Moreover, 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 also 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.
Fleet of 40 biomethane buses begin operations in eastern Sweden
Solaris Sweden AB signed a contract for the supply of low- and zero-emission buses to transport operator Vy Buss AB in March 2019. Today the Swedish agency has started operation with a total of 40 new Solaris Urbino CNG buses in Gävle. All the vehicles are fueled with biomethane from local sources.
This Swedish town located at the Gulf of Bothnia has received 24 standard CNG buses and 16 articulated CNG buses. The new vehicles meet the rigorous European emission norm Euro 6. The Solaris Urbino 12 CNG buses offer 31 seats, whereas the 18-meter buses hold 45 seats (including four folding ones).
“We are very happy to deliver our newest vehicles to Vy Buss. Today 40 environmentally-friendly, safe and comfortable CNG buses started running in Gävle. Eight more Urbino electric buses will follow in 2021. Vy Buss is investing in emission free drives and we are delighted to be part of it, sharing our experience and knowledge,” said Klaus Hansen, Managing Director of Solaris Sweden AB.
Cooperation between Solaris and the Swedish operators dates back to 2003. Since then, Solaris has supplied customers in Sweden with over 600 vehicles the vast majority of which are low or zero-emission vehicles.
