March 29, 2024

Hyundai uses hydrogen fuel cell trucks in California

Hyundai uses hydrogen fuel cell trucks in California

According to Hyundai, the US version of its Xcient Fuel Class 8 truck has a maximum range of 500 miles.

Photo: Hyundai

Hyundai is bringing more than 30 of its heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell trucks to California as part of two publicly funded pilot projects, which it claims will be the largest deployment of Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell trucks in the country.

The experimental trucks will be based on Hyundai’s Xcient fuel cell truck, which the company claims is the first mass-produced hydrogen-powered truck. Release is planned for the second quarter of 2023.

The Xcient Fuel Cell trucks made their debut in Switzerland last year and, according to the company, traveled 1 million kilometers under real conditions. The American model offers a maximum range of 500 miles.

Hyundai will use the lessons learned from these public projects to develop its zero-emissions commercial fleet business in the United States

Northern California Project

Thirty fuel cell trucks were used in Northern California in the NorCAL ZERO (Zero Emission Regional Truck Operations with Fuel Cell Electric Trucks) project.

A coalition led by the Center for Transportation and the Environment and Hyundai Motor Company recently received $22 million in grants from the California Air Resources Board and the California Energy Commission, and $7 million in additional grants from the Alameda County and Bay Area Transportation Commission. Air quality management. Live in support of this project.

CTE began developing the NorCAL ZERO project over two years ago with the idea of ​​partnering with the East Bay Municipal Utility District to site a hydrogen refueling station adjacent to the Port of Auckland refueling for Class 8 FCETs.

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Glovis America, a logistics provider, will operate the fleet of these trucks. Specialized finance and asset firm Macquarie, which belongs to the Global Commodities and Markets division, will finance the trucks through an operator lease.

The new FCET kits will save Glovis’ total cost of ownership over six years, roughly the same as the cost of operating Glovis diesel trucks, according to a CTE press release, with costs saved thereafter.

Supported by the City of Oakland and the Port of Oakland, these trucks will serve all of Northern California.

The consortium also plans to build a high-capacity hydrogen filling station in Oakland, California, using hydrogen from Air Liquide. The hydrogen station will supply and refuel up to 50 trucks. NorCAL Kenworth, based in San Leandro, will be responsible for servicing the trucks and modernizing its maintenance facility with hydrogen detection and ventilation equipment.

Southern California pilot

Hyundai Motor also received a $500,000 grant from the South Coast Air Quality Management District to demonstrate two Xcient Fuel Cell 8 Series heavy trucks in Southern California. The project, which is largely funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, is helping achieve clean air standards in the South Coast Air Basin by reducing emissions from diesel trucks.

Hyundai and its fleet partner plan to bring these trucks into service next month. They are used for long distance deliveries between warehouses in Southern California for a period of 12 months.

Hyundai will also work with First Element Fuel to use three hydrogen filling stations in the region to refuel trucks.

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Xcient. fuel cell

In 2020, Hyundai announced that it will deliver 1,600 Xcient fuel cell trucks to Europe by 2025. The first 46 units were delivered to Switzerland last year.

Trucks used in California have a longer range than their European counterparts—500 miles—because hydrogen is stored in larger quantities in the vehicle in tanks at a pressure of 700 bar, or about 10,000 psi. With a single hydrogen fill, trucks can travel from Oakland to Sacramento, Stockton, Modesto or even south to Fresno.

The maximum gross weight of the set is approximately 82,000 lbs.

Based on the experience of the first performances, Hyundai will accelerate its efforts to officially launch its car, his car Zero Emission Commercial Vehicles in North America. Hyundai is already in talks with several logistics and trading companies interested in using hydrogen technology for freight delivery and drying services in the United States.