An Allison Transmission-equipped hydrogen-powered Hyundai Motor fuel cell truck has delivered over 100,000 packages for GLS Germany since late 2023.
The 6×2 XCIENT’s 350kW electric motor is coupled with an Allison 400 Series fully automatic transmission and is powered by a 180kW hydrogen fuel cell system.
The delivery company deployed the fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) in the greater Cologne area and used them on long-distance trips between the city and Mannheim, transporting up to 1,300 parcels per trip.
Allison’s converter is expected to multiply the drive motor’s torque at startup, allowing the XCIENT to operate with a smaller and less powerful drive motor to therefore maximise the range and efficiency to reduce costs.
“We are open to new technologies and want to explore the various options,” explained Oualid Hamza, Operations Manager at GLS. “The main thing for us is that it works. The vehicle itself works well. There have been no problems or breakdowns.” Hyundai
Heidi Schutte, Vice-President of EMEA, APAC and South America Sales at Allison Transmission, said, “Our fuel-agnostic conventional transmissions are engineered to integrate seamlessly with varying fuel types, positioning Allison for continued success with eco-conscious transportation solutions.”
Hyundai revealed it would begin testing its autonomous heavy-duty hydrogen Class 8 XCIENT FCEV in May (2024). The truck was equipped with Level 4 autonomous driving technology, which could allow the vehicle to operate completely autonomously under certain conditions.
Read more: Hyundai is trialling self-driving heavy-duty hydrogen-powered truck
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