[Auto]Hyundai to test a fleet of 1,600 hydrogen trucks in Switzerland

[SougarLord]

For this, this project will use a fleet of H2 Xcient hydrogen fuel cell heavy trucks, each of which saves around 65 tons of CO2 per year. Likewise, another commercial partner, Hydrospider, will be in charge of producing the hydrogen. Hydrospider is a joint venture created by H2 Energy, Swiss energy service provider Alpiq and global engineering and gas company Linde.

 

At the same time as Hydrospider increases its hydrogen production, Hyundai is manufacturing a fleet of H2 Xcient fuel cell trucks. Fuel cell technology is particularly suitable for the transport of goods, due to its wide autonomy and short fuel refueling times compared to the technology of electric battery vehicles (BEV). Also, fuel cells and hydrogen tanks do not weigh as much as the batteries needed to move an electric truck. Dual fuel cell systems provide enough power for heavy trucks to drive through the mountains of Switzerland as normal.

 

Each H2 Xcient Fuel Cell truck is powered by a 190 kW (256 hp equivalent) hydrogen fuel cell system thanks to a dual 95 kW (127 hp) fuel cell system. Seven large hydrogen tanks offer a total storage capacity of about 34 kg of fuel. The autonomy is approximately 400 km. Refueling takes about 10-15 minutes, a time comparable to that of internal combustion vehicles.

 

                                                     

 

Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility will rent the trucks to fleet operators through a pay-as-you-go system, which means there is no risk or up-front investment for transport companies. 15 trucks are needed for a fuel station to be profitable.

 

By using hydrogen vehicles to transport goods, Hyundai ensures a stable demand for fuel. And through the production of industrial hydrogen, Hydrospider ensures a constant supply. This is the basis of the business example, which makes hydrogen mobility economically viable and capable of growth. Through this process, Hyundai will gradually build a hydrogen infrastructure in Switzerland.

 

The configuration of the fuel supply infrastructure for trucks with stations operating at 350 bars also opens the possibility of extending the network for passenger cars. Fuel cell cars are refueled at a pressure of 700 bar, therefore these refueling solutions can be added to the existing network in a cost-effective way. Access to adequate hydrogen refueling infrastructure will reduce range anxiety (and anxiety about autonomy) and encourage more people to buy hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. As more people switch to green mobility options, carbon emissions will decrease, improving air quality.