Hyundai to sell hydrogen trucks in Europe
Hyundai Motor Company has launched a joint venture for hydrogen trucks in Europe, signaling the company’s entrance into the European market for eco-friendly commercial vehicles, the carmaker said Thursday.
According to Hyundai Motor, the joint venture, named Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility (HHM), began its operations Thursday, following its launching ceremony in Switzerland.
HHM is partnered by H2 Energy of Switzerland. H2 Energy is a hydrogen energy firm working for sustainable mobility and hydrogen refueling infrastructure across Europe.
Hyundai Motor and H2 Energy signed the deal in April and pledged to expand hydrogen fuel-cell trucks in not only Switzerland but also other European countries.
Following the joint venture’s launch, Hyundai Motor will provide 1,600 hydrogen trucks by 2025 to HHM.
HHM will offer those trucks in the Swiss market first, and enter German, Dutch, Austrian and Norwegian markets by forming partnerships with local entities, according to Hyundai Motor.
The ceremony was held at a hydropower plant in Gosgen, which will produce hydrogen from later this year.
The facility is the first commercial hydrogen plant in Switzerland and will be run by Hydrospider, a joint venture between H2 Energy, Switzerland’s national energy services provider Alpiq and global industrial gas firm Linde.
“Through HHM, Hyundai Motor expects a smooth landing into the European market for fuel-cell trucks, starting from Switzerland,” Hyundai Motor Executive Vice President Lee In-cheol said.
“Along with the European market, we will make entry into eco-friendly commercial vehicle markets in other countries.”
Europe is one of the markets showing high interest in eco-friendly vehicles, with major nations implementing subsidies or other infrastructure policies to expand green cars including fuel-cell electric vehicles.
Switzerland charges fares for trucks weighing more than 3.5 tons, but fuel-cell and electric trucks are exempted.
Hyundai Motor is currently developing a hydrogen dump truck, based on its full-size Xcient truck. The hydrogen version will be powered by a 190 kilowatt fuel cell system.
To meet its goal of traveling 400 kilometers in a single fueling, the truck will be equipped with seven hydrogen tanks each capable of producing energy for 35 kilograms of hydrogen.
Fuel-cell electric vehicles are a better fit for commercial purposes, because they can cover longer distances than electric vehicles while taking a shorter time to refuel.