German government funding for eco-friendly commercial vehicles opens door for Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell heavy duty trucks
Hyundai Motor Company has announced the export of its Xcient Fuel Cell heavy-duty trucks to Germany.
Seven German companies in logistics, manufacturing and retail will put 27 Xcient Fuel Cell trucks into fleet service with funding for eco-friendly commercial vehicles from Germany’s Federal Ministry for Digital and Transport (BMDV).
The Xcient Fuel Cell to be delivered is equipped with a 180kW hydrogen fuel cell system with two 90kW fuel cell stacks. The 350kW e-motor with maximum torque of 2,237Nm is said to enable dynamic driving performance.
“We are glad to now also officially enter the German commercial vehicle market with our heavy-duty fuel cell electric truck, the Xcient Fuel Cell,” says Mark Freymueller, senior vice president and head of commercial vehicle business innovation of Hyundai Motor Company.
“Hyundai Motor, which is recognised as the leader in hydrogen fuel cell technology, will leverage this opportunity to expand our business into the wider European market by successfully supporting Germany’s efforts to achieve its carbon neutral goals.”
In August 2021, BMDV rolled out its funding guidelines for commercial vehicles with alternative drive systems upon approval by the European Commission. The funding is available for battery, fuel cell and (overhead line) hybrid electric vehicles, corresponding to refueling/charging infrastructure and related feasibility studies. BMDV will have a budget of 1.6 billion euros available until 2024 to purchase eco-friendly commercial vehicles.
The aforementioned seven German companies initially applied for the funding with Hyundai’s Xcient Fuel Cells and successfully received approval from BMDV.
Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility, a joint venture between Hyundai Motor Company and Swiss company H2 Energy, has also established Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility Germany GmbH (HHMG) to actively expand its entry into the hydrogen-powered commercial vehicle market in Germany.
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In order to establish a hydrogen ecosystem in the country, HHMG will operate local market sales and customer service as well as upfitter management in the market. HHMG also plans to actively participate in the second funding program.
Hyundai says the Xcient Fuel Cell’s seven large hydrogen tanks offer a combined storage capacity of around 31kg of fuel, while a 72-kWh-powered set of three batteries provides an additional source of power.
The maximum driving range is 400km between refueling. Refueling a full tank of hydrogen takes about 8 to 20 minutes, depending on the ambient temperature.
The Xcient Fuell Cell, claimed to the world’s first mass-produced hydrogen electric heavy duty truck, was launched in 2020.