Just when you thought it was safe to count hydrogen as a competitor to battery electric power in the North American- and heavy-duty truck scene, the new Hyundai XCIENT HFCEV Semi Class 8 truck is coming to Georgia – and it's getting the job done.
Hyundai's new XCIENT hydrogen semi trucks will be deployed at Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA), where the heavy-duty Class 8 hydrogen trucks will be tasked with supporting plant-related operations.
Operating as part of a joint venture with logistics/3PL company Glovis America, Hyundai's hydrogen fleet will consist of 21 XCIENT trucks, each packing electric motors that combine to deliver approximately 470 hp and 1650 lb-ft of torque per 0 rpm. Unlike the direct drive/single speed setup in Tesla cars and other inexpensive EVs, the Hyundai XCIENT puts all that power through an Allison 400 Series six-speed automatic transmission, allowing the electric motor to stay close to 0 rpm/maximum efficiency. range of operation, even at highway speeds.
Range is expected to be 400 km (250 miles), although Hyundai did not include specific tank specifications in its official release.
“HMGMA's deployment of XCIENT transportation and operations is one of HTWO's key initiatives,” said Jim Park, SVP, commercial vehicle and hydrogen business development, Hyundai Motor North America. “This brings our strategy and vision to demonstrate a closed-loop hydrogen logistics ecosystem and improve the environmental sustainability of manufacturing operations.”
A joint venture between Hyundai Motor Company and Glovis America, to be called HTWO Logistics, plans to install a hydrogen fueling station at the automaker's Georgia Mega-site for more efficient automotive fuel use and better control of issues such as leakage, boiling, and availability. of hydrogen. A “clean” hydrogen production station and refueling station are being developed for the Megasite, and will (probably) be announced soon.
Electrek's Take
Although it is difficult to see what is happening at Nikola, the real question about the crisis that the company seems to be approaching is whether its problems are of its own making, or because of the insurmountable impossibility, difficulty, and high cost of building and operating a hydrogen car. infrastructure. Hyundai, in stark contrast to Nikola, has huge wallets. Adidas gym bags full of cash a Raider of the Lost Ark– Warehouse currency style. Enough money then that money won't be a problem … until it is.
That's my take, anyway. Tell us yours in the comments. But, before doing that, you should know that I take the news of Nikola's arrival with a grain of salt, and – Nikola is scrappy, and has been “circling the canal” for years without entering. Here's hoping they pull it off. back from the edge once more.
SOURCE | PHOTOS: Hyundai.
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