Hyundai Motor, in cooperation with H2 Energy, is to provide 1,000 hydrogen fuel-cell electric trucks to the Swiss commercial vehicle market, beginning 2019 through to 2023.
The announcement was made at the IAA CV Show in Hannover. Hyundai Motor has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Swiss hydrogen company H2 Energy (H2E).
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Beginning in 2019 and over a five year period Hyundai Motor and H2 Energy will provide 1,000 heavy-duty fuel-cell electric trucks and an adequate supply chain for renewable hydrogen.
“We are yet again advancing the field of fuel cell technology in the automotive industry with today’s announcement of our ambition to commercialize the fuel cell electric truck for the first time in the world,” said Hyundai Motor’s Executive Vice President and Head of Commercial Vehicle Division, In Cheol Lee. “We will continue to seek opportunities for expanding into other markets by carefully monitoring multiple factors such as fueling infrastructure and governmental policies.”
The fuel-cell electric truck is being developed according to European regulations. It features a new 190kW hydrogen fuel-cell system with two fuel-cell systems connected in parallel. Hyundai says it is expected to deliver a single-fuelling travel range of approximately 400km, and in order to secure sufficient range, eight large hydrogen tanks are being compactly installed, utilising areas such as between the cabin and the rigid body.
H2 Energy is a company specialized in the production and supply of renewable hydrogen in Switzerland, with business subsidiaries in Germany, Norway and Austria. H2 Energy plans to make Hyundai’s fuel-cell electric trucks available to its Swiss customers starting with the dedicated members of the Swiss H2 Association, which includes several refuelling-station operators, retailers and other customers focusing on eco-friendly innovative solutions for logistics and goods distribution.
“A sustainable hydrogen economy needs a designated ecosystem for hydrogen. This is why our collaboration between Hyundai Motor, H2 Energy, the Swiss H2 Association, and Key electricity producers in Switzerland is strategic and makes a lot of sense” said Rolf Huber, Chairman of H2 Energy.
To cater to growing opportunities in the sector, Hyundai plans to diversify its fuel-cell electric commercial vehicle line-up. Currently under development is the medium-sized fuel-cell electric truck (Payload: 4-5ton) which can be used in the public services domain such as vehicles used for cleaning.
Hyundai Motor also introduced fuel cell electric express buses during the PyeongChang Olympics in South Korea last February and is currently conducting a pilot operation with fuel-cell electric buses in South Korea’s major cities, whilst reviewing plans for mass production by 2020. Domestically, FCEV taxis and car-sharing services are operating on public roads in Ulsan and Gwangju.
See also: Hyundai plans fuel-cell truck for 2019
