Vehicle OEM Hyundai’s Swiss fleet of XCIENT Fuel Cell heavy-duty trucks has traveled more than five million kilometers in the last two years. In 2020, the OEM sent 47 hydrogen-powered and zero-emission commercial trucks to 23 Swiss companies for use within the logistics distribution and supermarket sectors.
The company’s trucks are fitted with a 180kW hydrogen fuel cell system with two 90kW fuel cell stacks. The 350kW e-motor provides 2,237Nm maximum torque. The system also features seven large hydrogen tanks to deliver a combined storage capacity of approximately 31kg of fuel, in addition to a 72kWh-powered set of three batteries to support the vehicle’s performance.
When used in real-world conditions, the XCIENT Fuel Cell heavy-duty trucks can achieve a 400km range on a single charge. Depending on the outside ambient air temperature, the refueling of a full tank of hydrogen can take 8-20 minutes. Each system has been optimized to ensure that fuel efficiency meets the demands of each commercial fleet customer.
“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,” said Mark Freymueller, senior vice president and head of commercial vehicle business innovation at Hyundai Motor Company. “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.”