Hyundai’s XCIENT Fuel Cell Truck Hits 20 Million km: A Game Changer for Hydrogen Vehicles in Europe
Daniel Kim Views
Since its debut in Switzerland in October 2020, the XCIENT Fuel Cell truck has rapidly expanded its presence. It hit the 10 million kilometer mark in June 2024 and doubled that figure to 20 million kilometers by January this year.
The XCIENT Fuel Cell truck has been adapted for various specialized applications, including refrigerated and freezer vans, street sweepers, hook-lift containers, and cranes. Currently, 165 units are operating across five European countries: Switzerland, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and Austria.
In Germany, hydrogen industry leaders and specialized rental firms have acquired over 110 of these trucks, primarily for supermarket chain logistics.
France has also embraced the technology, deploying the trucks not only for supermarket logistics but also for municipal services in Paris, Lyon, Pays de la Loire, and Burgundy. Switzerland, the Netherlands, and Austria are utilizing the trucks extensively in grocery, beverage, and industrial textile logistics.
The XCIENT Fuel Cell truck’s zero-emission operation significantly contributes to carbon reduction efforts. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimates that replacing diesel trucks with these hydrogen-powered vehicles for 20 million kilometers of operation prevents approximately 13,000 tons of carbon emissions – equivalent to the annual carbon absorption of about 1.5 million pine trees.
Hyundai plans to leverage the extensive data collected during this milestone, including information on driving range, hydrogen consumption, and fuel cell performance, to further advance its hydrogen fuel cell technology.
In North America, the XCIENT Fuel Cell truck has also made impressive strides, surpassing 1 million miles (about 1.6 million kilometers) of cumulative driving distance in December last year, just three years after its introduction to the market.
The truck is currently involved in several key initiatives across North America, with 63 units in operation. These include the NorCAL ZERO project aimed at decarbonizing California ports, Hyundai Motor Group’s HTWO Logistics Solution at the Metaplant America in Georgia, and deployments in British Columbia, Canada.
[By Lee Seung-taek, Automotive News]
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