Hyundai NZ orders hydrogen refuelling station ready for Xcient FCEV

Hyundai New Zealand has placed an order for a containerised hydrogen refuelling station to be supplied by Australian-owned H2H Energy as it prepares for the arrival of Hyundai’s Xcient FCEV trucks. 

The companies have been working together evaluating hydrogen opportunities in New Zealand since 2016, after an introduction from H2H’s long-term partner Hyundai Motor Company Australia.

New Zealand is seen as a prime early market for hydrogen heavy vehicle fleet adoption due to the nature of heavy transportation in the country and the abundance of renewable power such as hydro, geothermal and wind.  

Earlier this year, Hyundai New Zealand received $500,000 from the low emission vehicles contestable fund for the introduction of hydrogen powered trucks to New Zealand.

It’s deployment of an FCEV truck trial fleet in New Zealand requires a 350 bar hydrogen refuelling station. 

Hyundai New Zealand general manager Andy Sinclair says hydrogen energy “is the key to building a more sustainable society”.

“It’s the ideal fuel source for the heavy transport industry to help reduce carbon emissions. 

“We are really excited about the arrival of the Xcient FCEV truck. However, as there won’t be nationwide infrastructure at that time, we’ve chosen to modify our existing refueller to be capable of refuelling at 350 bar for the Xcient and 700 bar for the Nexo. 

“We look forward to the completion of the project and getting our FCEV truck on the road by the end of the year,” Sinclair says.

H2H chief executive Cranston Polson says the team is “proud to continue supporting Hyundai New Zealand in their hydrogen endeavours”. 

“They are leading from the front, providing real, practical and manageable solutions, in alignment with the H2H philosophy.”

The increased capability and refueller containerisation will facilitate mobile deployments across the country, allowing trial fleet users to experience first-hand the advantages of hydrogen, while larger refuelling infrastructure is built. It can also act as back-up unit for larger stations in the future.

H2H Energy is a privately owned hydrogen refuelling station specialist and has been providing hydrogen refuelling solutions in Australia and New Zealand since 2014.

Hyundai New Zealand is 100% Kiwi owned and distributes motor vehicles and trucks. It was a founding member and the first automotive manufacturer to join the NZ Hydrogen Association in 2018 and introduced the Nexo, New Zealand’s first FCEV, for demonstration in 2019.