Hyundai adds 50 hydrogen trucks to its fleet

Hyundai to add 50 new hydrogen-powered trucks to its vehicle fleet. 

Thanks to a partnership with Luxfer Gas Cylinders, Hyundai has developed new Xcient Fuel-Cell trucks – which will transport supermarket deliveries and other goods across Switzerland. 

The t0 19-tonne vehicles will be powered by more than 400 Luxfer G-Stor H2 hydrogen cylinders.

Each features a 190-kilowatt fuel cell comprised of seven high-pressure tanks holding around 35kg of hydrogen. This provides a long-distance range of about 400km before refuelling is required, which far surpasses the capabilities of vehicles powered by electric.

Hyundai is investing heavily in hydrogen, planning to put 1,600 hydrogen trucks on Swiss roads by 2025 and set to launch similar projects in other European countries as well.

Mark Lawday, a director at Luxfer Gas Cylinders, said: ‘There is significant interest in hydrogen and CNG (compressed natural gas) across the world, and governments are now committing to cleaner transport technology as a route to meeting zero-emission targets.

‘There are a number of benefits hydrogen can deliver over other low emission alternatives, such as battery electric vehicles (BEV). Hydrogen fuel cells can generate more power when pulling heavier loads uphill than an equivalently sized battery, and offer a greater range.

‘Ultimately, hydrogen will be more economically viable than BEV for truck fleets specifically because of the faster fuelling times. Hauliers cannot afford to have their stock laid up several times per day charging, and the burden that simultaneous charging of a complete fleet puts on the local electricity grid becomes cost-prohibitive, so that’s where hydrogen is the best solution.’

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