Hyundai signs deal with H2 Energy for hydrogen fuel cell trucks

Hyundai Motor Company has announced a partnership with Swiss hydrogen company H2 Energy (H2E) for the development of fuel cell electric trucks.

The memorandum of understanding was announced at the 2018 IAA Commercial Vehicles show in Hanover, Germany.

It aims to provide 1000 fuel cell electric trucks to the Swiss commercial vehicle market, including a developed supply chain of renewable hydrogen, over a five year period starting from early 2019.

Hyundai has made big strides in the market since developing the world’s first mass-produced fuel cell electric vehicle, the Tucson Fuel Cell, in 2013.

The 190kW fuel cell electric trucks are being developed according to European regulations.

They are expected to deliver a single-fueling travel range of around 400km with eight large hydrogen tanks installed.

Hyundai executive vice president Cheol Lee says the partnership aims to be the world’s first to commercialise electric fuel cell trucks.

“We will continue to seek opportunities for expanding into other markets by carefully monitoring multiple factors such as fueling infrastructure and governmental policies,” Lee says.

H2E chairman Rolf Huber says a “sustainable hydrogen economy needs a designated ecosystem for hydrogen” and the strategic partnership with Hyundai “makes a lot of sense”.