Hyundai Motor Company has premiered its new XCIENT Fuel Cell tractor, the commercialised class 8 6×4 fuel cell electric model, for the North American commercial vehicle (CV) market.

The company exhibited the XCIENT Fuel Cell tractor and the hydrogen fuel cell system at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in California this week.

Ken Ramirez, executive vice president and head of global commercial vehicle and hydrogen fuel cell business at Hyundai Motors, emphasised the importance of achieving carbon neutrality to realise the company’s vision of ‘Progress for Humanity.’

“We firmly believe that hydrogen is one of the most powerful and pragmatic solutions for achieving our vision of ‘Progress for Humanity’ with emission-free mobility as a fundamental pillar for a sustainable society,” said Ramirez.

“Our hydrogen fuel cell technology has pioneered the industry, with a real-world proven track record of its efficiency and durability. We are leveraging these merits to further transform transportation with hydrogen energy for a broad range of mobility applications, including commercial vehicles, marine vessels and even air mobility.

“We now look beyond mobility toward an integrated hydrogen ecosystem, from production of hydrogen to its storage, transport and delivery. Hyundai is uniquely positioned to cover all aspects and deliver a seamless solution across the value chain.”

First launched in 2020, XCIENT Fuel Cell has been deployed in five countries, including Switzerland, Germany, Israel, Korea and New Zealand.

The model shown at the event is the 6×4 tractor equipped with two 90kW hydrogen fuel cell systems (total 180kW power) and a 350kW e-motor. Its gross combination weight is a maximum 37,194kg and offers a driving range of over 720km per charge even when fully loaded.