Hyundai Motor Co. has unveiled its newly upgraded XCIENT Fuel Cell, the world’s first mass-produced heavy-duty truck powered by hydrogen.
“Hyundai Motor is leveraging more than 20 years of experience in fuel cell technology to further its vision of an eco-friendly hydrogen society,” says Jaehoon Chang, president and CEO of the commercial vehicle division at Hyundai Motor Co. “With the 2021 XCIENT Fuel Cell, Hyundai will contribute to the widespread adoption of commercial vehicles powered by hydrogen.”
The 2021 XCIENT Fuel Cell is equipped with a 180-kW hydrogen fuel cell system with two 90-kW fuel cell stacks, newly modified for this heavy-duty truck model. The fuel cell system’s durability as well as the vehicle’s overall fuel efficiency has been improved to better stay in tune with the demands of commercial fleet customers. The 350-kW e-motor with maximum torque of 2,237 Nm further enables dynamic driving performance, notes the company.
Seven large hydrogen tanks offer a combined storage capacity of around 31 kg of fuel, while three 72-kWh high voltage batteries provide an additional source of power. The maximum driving range of the XCIENT Fuel Cell truck is approximately 400 km. Refueling a full tank of hydrogen takes about eight to 20 minutes, depending on the ambient temperature.
Hyundai says it will begin production of the 2021 XCIENT Fuel Cell in August and that it will be available in Europe, North America and China.
