Hyundai Motor Company, World's First Mass-Produced Hydrogen Electric Large Truck Exported

Ten units of Hyundai Motor Company's 'Xcient Hydrogen Electric Truck' are being loaded onto the 'Glovis Superior' vessel at Gwangyang Port in Gwangyang-si, Jeollanam-do on the 6th for export to Switzerland. Photo by Hyundai Motor Company

[Asia Economy Reporter Kiho Sung] Hyundai Motor Company has exported the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen fuel cell heavy-duty truck, the ‘XCIENT Fuel Cell,’ for the first time. Hyundai plans to accelerate its penetration into the European eco-friendly commercial vehicle market through this export.

On the 6th, Hyundai Motor announced that it shipped 10 units of the XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks at Gwangyang Port in Gwangyang City, Jeollanam-do, and exported them to Switzerland.

With this export of the XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks to Switzerland, Hyundai has made its first entry into the Western European heavy-duty commercial vehicle market and established a foothold to preempt the hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicle market ahead of major competitors. Starting with the Swiss export, Hyundai plans to expand its supply areas throughout Europe, including Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, and Norway, and eventually enter the North American commercial vehicle market.

The XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks shipped on this day will be delivered to ‘Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility,’ a joint venture established in September last year between Hyundai Motor and Swiss hydrogen solution specialist H2 Energy. Hyundai plans to export an additional 40 units by the end of this year and gradually supply a total of 1,600 units by 2025.

Hyundai Motor Company's 'Xcient Hydrogen Electric Truck' is seen leaving the main gate of Hyundai Motor's Jeonju plant in Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do on the 6th, receiving congratulations from employees as it prepares for its first export to Switzerland. Photo by Hyundai Motor Company

The XCIENT Fuel Cell truck is a large cargo truck with a gross vehicle weight (including trailer weight) of 34 tons. It is equipped with a 190kW-class hydrogen fuel cell system consisting of two hydrogen fuel cells and a 350kW (476ps/228kgf·m) class drive motor. The driving range per single charge is approximately 400 km, and hydrogen refueling takes about 8 to 20 minutes (refueling time varies depending on the external temperature of the hydrogen tank).

The supply of the XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks to the Swiss market is conducted not through traditional vehicle sales but via a new concept mobility service where users pay based on usage (Pay-Per-Use). The usage fee includes all costs related to vehicle operation, such as refueling, repair, insurance, and regular maintenance fees. This approach is expected to reduce the initial cost and psychological burden on customers adopting the high-priced hydrogen fuel cell trucks in the early market formation stage, thereby contributing to rapid market expansion.

With the full-scale start of Hyundai’s hydrogen fuel cell truck supply, the construction of hydrogen refueling infrastructure is also accelerating. The Swiss Hydrogen Mobility Association plans to open a new hydrogen refueling station in Oberstrasse, St. Gallen, Switzerland, on the 7th of this month (local time), and establish a total of seven hydrogen refueling stations in major Swiss regions by the end of this year. By 2025, approximately 80 hydrogen refueling networks will be built.

The 'Xcient Hydrogen Fuel Cell Truck' shipped for export to Switzerland is parked at Hyundai Motor's Jeonju Plant in Wanju-gun, Jeollabuk-do. Photo by Hyundai Motor

Lee In-cheol, Vice President and Head of Hyundai Motor’s Commercial Vehicle Division, said, “By mass-producing and starting sales of the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell heavy-duty truck, we have firmly established Hyundai’s global leadership in hydrogen fuel cell commercial vehicles worldwide,” adding, “Hyundai has built a hydrogen business ecosystem where hydrogen production, distribution, and consumption circulate together through close cooperation with European hydrogen value chain partners beyond simple vehicle supply.”

He continued, “This overseas export launch not only pioneers the eco-friendly commercial vehicle mobility business but also proves Hyundai’s hydrogen fuel cell vehicle vision leading the global hydrogen society,” and said, “We will lead the paradigm shift in the global eco-friendly commercial vehicle market by expanding not only in Europe but also in North America and China.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.