Technology is rapidly evolving and so is the future of trucking. One such company that wants to get an early slice of the budding market is Hyundai with its Xcient hydrogen fuel cell truck. The South Korean auto and truck maker is looking towards the future with the help of battery-electric propulsion for its next generation of trucks.
The Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell Truck (FCEV) is set to make its debut to the world on October 14 in Korea. The FCEV is set to be the world’s first mass-production ready cargo hauler that runs on fuel cell electric technology. The truck itself is designed to be a heavy-duty truck that promotes zero emissions, shorter refueling times, and long-distance hauling without the use of fossil fuels.
Powering the truck is 7 tanks of hydrogen that serve as the main source of power for the FCEV. On a full load of hydrogen, Hyundai claims that its truck can travel 400km with a full trailer and can hit a top speed of 85km/h. While these claims are great, the South Korean automaker has yet to release the official specs and payload capacity of the truck. However, Hyundai states that with its electric motors the FCEV can produce 469hp and 2,237 Nm of torque, giving it excellent cargo-hauling capabilities.
When the hydrogen tanks run low, refueling won’t be a problem for the Xcient as reaching a full tank will only take 8 to 20 minutes. With such a small downtime considering it is an electric vehicle, it should be still able to haul cargo similar to that of a diesel-powered truck.
With the launch happening on October 14, 2020, Hyundai has already shipped out units to customers in Switzerland as part of the company’s plan to roll out 1,600 fuel cell commercial vehicles by 2025.
