Hyundai Xcient fuel cell trucks rack up 5-M kms in Switzerland

Hyundai Motor Company recently announced that its fleet of Xcient fuel cell heavy-duty trucks in Switzerland has accumulated more than five million kilometers (km) in two years.

In 2020, the company exported 47 units of hydrogen-powered, zero-emission commercial trucks to 23 Swiss companies, which are using them for logistics, distribution, and supermarket fulfillment.

The Hyundai Xcient fuel cell is equipped with a 180-kilowatt (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 2,237Nm enables dynamic driving performance. Its seven large hydrogen tanks offer a combined storage capacity of around 31 kilograms (kg) of fuel, while a 72-kilowatt-hour (kWh)-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 eight to 20 minutes, depending on the ambient temperature.

“Xcient Fuel Cell is the world’s first heavy-duty fuel cell truck to achieve five million kilometers of cumulative driving in real-life customer operation. 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,” said Hyundai Motor Company Senior Vice President and Head of Commercial Vehicle Business Innovation Mark Freymueller.

Per Hyundai, the company will leverage insights from these public-private partnerships to further drive commercial vehicle decarbonization through hydrogen fuel cell electric technology advancement.

Photos from Hyundai

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