Hyundai Motor’s XCIENT Fuel Cell truck / Courtesy of Hyundai Motor
Driving hydrogen trucks for 10 million kilometers equivalent to planting 700,000 pine trees
By Lee Min-hyung
Hyundai Motor’s XCIENT hydrogen-powered trucks have achieved an accumulated mileage of 10 million kilometers in Switzerland, proving the safety and technological prowess of hydrogen fuel cells, the automaker said Wednesday.
A total of 48 XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks there accomplished the record after they were introduced to the European country in October 2020. The hydrogen trucks can travel up to 400 kilometers on a single charge.
The automaker spoke highly of their eco-friendliness, compared with typical commercial trucks powered by diesel engines. Diesel trucks emit approximately 6,300 tons of carbon dioxide after traveling 10 million kilometers. Some 700,000 pine trees are required to absorb a similar amount of carbon.
Driving the hydrogen fuel cell electric trucks can also create such an environmentally friendly impact, as they do not produce any carbon dioxide at all, according to the carmaker.
“All of our XCIENT trucks in Switzerland never produce any carbon by using green hydrogen, so we contribute to the global drive for carbon neutrality,” an official from Hyundai Motor said.
The carmaker also shared plans to further sophisticate its hydrogen fuel cell system by collecting driving data and feedback from customers there.
The hydrogen trucks are being recognized for their eco-friendliness and the proven safety of the energy source here and abroad. They have been introduced in 10 countries, such as Korea, Germany, France and Saudi Arabia.
The latest move displays Hyundai Motor’s unwavering willingness to build a complete hydrogen energy value chain from its production to transportation. The vision was announced at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in January.
“Hyundai Motor’s technological progress will enrich the lives of the public, and we will keep driving the upcoming era of clean hydrogen to diversify its usage in more areas,” Hyundai Motor President and CEO Chang Jae-hoon said during the CES tech fair.