Hyundai Motor Presents XCIENT Hydrogen Powered Commercial Trucking To Israel

Hyundai Motor supplied three XCIENT fuel cell trucks to Israel as part of a partnership with its Israeli agency Colmobil, hydrogen producer Bazan, and hydrogen refuelling station operator Sonol to form a hydrogen value chain in Israel. The three heavy-duty trucks will be handed over to Colmobil, Bazan, and Sonol, respectively, and will be put into commercial operation in the first quarter of 2023.

The launch event, as mentioned in the report, was held in Tel Aviv and was attended by Shmuel Harlap, Chairman of Colmobil, Asaf Almagor, CEO of Bazan, and Nir Galili, CEO of Sonol.

The first vehicle to be used for commercial operations in the Middle East is a 42 XCIENT Fuel Cell truck delivered to Colmobil, equipped with a 180 kW hydrogen fuel cell system that can travel over 400 km on a single charge. It will be used to procure parts for Colmobil, with a daily operation range of about 330 km.

Hyundai Motor plans to speed up the establishment of a hydrogen value chain in Israel.

Mark Freymueller, senior vice president and head of commercial vehicle business innovation at Hyundai Motor Company, said, "Establishing the first hydrogen infrastructure in Israel in close collaboration with the country’s key players marks a significant milestone in our efforts to build a sustainable hydrogen value chain around the world." "We are confident that our fuel cell trucks will substantially contribute to the acceleration of the energy transition in Israel."

According to the report, the XCIENT Fuel Cell is the world's first mass-produced heavy-duty hydrogen-electric truck and is currently in commercial use in Germany, Switzerland, Korea, and New Zealand. The 47 units operating in Switzerland since October 2020 have achieved a cumulative mileage of over 5 million kilometres through October this year, proving the truck’s reliability.

Additionally, Hyundai Motor will deploy five XCIENT fuel cell trucks for the 2021 Targeted Airshed Grants (TAG) programme and 30 units for the NorCAL ZERO project, both in the U.S., during the third quarter of next year.

Hyundai Motor Company has been around since 1967. It has a presence in more than 200 countries and more than 120,000 employees who work to solve real-world transportation problems around the world.

Based on the brand vision "Progress for Humanity," Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider.

Hyundai will continue its efforts to introduce zero-emission vehicles equipped with industry-leading hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies in pursuit of a sustainable future for the world, according to the report.

By Sumita Pawar