With the introduction of the XCIENT Fuel Cell heavy-duty fuel cell electric commercial vehicles in Switzerland and Europe, Hyundai announces plans for expansion into North America and China. The production capacity of the XCIENT Fuel Cell will be expanded to 2,000 vehicles per year by 2021 to meet the increasing demand for clean transport solutions from Europe, USA and China.
With the delivery of the first seven series fuel cell commercial vehicles to the first Swiss customers, the new era of heavy transport begins, in which only water vapor is emitted.
Hyundai Motor Company delivered the first seven production fuel cell commercial vehicles Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell to Swiss customers in Lucerne today. A total of 50 units of the heavy commercial vehicle (36 t trailer combination) are coming to Switzerland this year. The delivery of the first XCIENT Fuel Cell marks Hyundai's entry into the European commercial vehicle market before the company expands into the North American and Chinese commercial vehicle markets.
Cheol Lee, Executive Vice President and Head of Commercial Vehicle Division at Hyundai Motor:“The delivery of the XCIENT Fuel Cell not only marks the beginning of a new chapter in Hyundai’s hydrogen strategy , but also a new era in the use of hydrogen as clean energy for global society. Today's handover of the first XCIENT Fuel Cell marks a beginning that will open up countless possibilities for clean mobility. We are proud to announce expansion plans beyond Europe to North America and China with this successful delivery of the first series-production fuel cell commercial vehicles.”
The production capacity of the XCIENT Fuel Cell will be 2,000 units per year by the end of 2021. This allows Hyundai to increase volume in parallel with the growing need for clean mobility solutions in Europe, the USA and China. The ramp-up of production capacities triggers an investment of USD 1.3 billion, in addition to the previously announced USD 6.4 billion, with which Hyundai is building a hydrogen ecosystem and also promoting the development of the hydrogen society.
In the US, Hyundai works with leading logistics companies to supply them with heavy-duty production fuel cell commercial vehicles. In October 2019, Hyundai presented the hydrogen fuel cell-powered HDC-6 Neptune Concept Class 8 at the North American Commercial Vehicle (NACV) Show and also revealed its next plans. Behind these are partnerships with companies that enable the creation of a complete value chain, from hydrogen production to the H2 filling stations to the maintenance and upkeep of the vehicles. A 6×4 towing vehicle is also being prepared for the North American market. Hyundai plans to use more than 12,000 fuel cell commercial vehicles in the USA by 2030.
Hyundai is also working with various entities in China, where the goal is 1 million fuel cell electric vehicles by 2030. The hydrogen industry in China is showing a clear growth trend, with the corresponding economic potential. Hyundai's initial focus in China is on the most important hydrogen markets in Jin-jin-ji, in the Yangtze River Delta, as well as in the provinces of Guangdong and Sichuan. Discussions are currently underway for collaborations, including as a joint venture with local partners.
Three types of hydrogen-electric commercial vehicles are planned for China. A medium-duty truck will be ready by 2022. Two heavy commercial vehicles will be released in the following years, one of which is specifically designed for the Chinese market. With these models, Hyundai is planning a volume of 27,000 vehicles or units in China by 2030.
A key to Hyundai's global expansion lies in the successful introduction of the XCIENT Fuel Cell in Europe. With the first seven units, customers will be able to transport goods and goods throughout Switzerland, emitting only water vapor. Behind the market launch in Switzerland is a solid and sustainable ecosystem with green hydrogen.
In 2019, Hyundai Motor Company founded Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility AG (HHM) as a joint venture with the Swiss company H2 Energy. HHM, in turn, acts as a partner of Hydrospider, a joint venture between H2 Energy, Alpiq and Linde. Customers lease the commercial vehicles on a pay-per-use principle, which does not require any investment of their own. Hyundai will use its success in Switzerland as a platform for expansion into other European markets, where a network with partners in Austria, Germany, Holland and Norway is currently being prepared.
The expansion of production capacities goes hand in hand with the planned delivery of 1,600 heavy commercial vehicles by 2025. Along with other companies, Coop, Migros, Traveco, Galliker Logistics, Camion Transport, F. Murpf AG and G. Leclerc Transport AG have placed orders for the XCIENT Fuel Cell.
To support the growing hydrogen ecosystem, Hyundai is working with a business model that includes the development of a nationwide filling station network in Switzerland. This means that not only the new fuel cell commercial vehicles (350 bar), but also passenger cars with hydrogen electric drives (700 bar) can be refueled. Hyundai is therefore planning to link the various energy suppliers across sectors in order to integrate all players into the hydrogen value chain.
In the coming years, Hyundai will introduce a completely new XCIENT Fuel Cell model series based on a specific hydrogen-electric commercial vehicle platform. The upcoming new model is based on an electric drive axle and two 200 kW fuel cell systems that are currently being developed. The new model range will include 4×2 and 6×2 delivery vehicles and a 4×2 towing vehicle, covering a large part of the European commercial vehicle market. The 44-ton GCW towing vehicle will achieve a range of 1,000 km per tank of fuel. With these models, Hyundai is underlining its efforts to gradually replace diesel commercial vehicles on the road.
Hyundai is committed to the further development of fuel cell technology and the implementation of a hydrogen value chain - with the aim of sustainable and clean mobility. This initiative is receiving worldwide recognition. Hyundai's hydrogen mobility solution won the Truck Innovation Award from the International Truck of the Year (IToY) jury last year. XCIENT FC was also awarded the Innovation Award for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technology at the 5th Shanghai Forum in September this year.
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