Hyundai will throw the cat amongst the pigeons at next month’s Brisbane Truck Show with the Korean automaker set to display one of its revolutionary Hydrogen fuel cell trucks at the major biennial expo.
The Hyundai Xcient hydrogen fuel cell truck will make its Aussie debut in Brisbane having been undergoing extensive and on going operator trials for the past two years in Switzerland and similarly with NZ Post across the ditch in New Zealand for about the same period.
Hyundai claims the Xcient Hydrogen FCEV is the world’s first commercialised hydrogen fuel cell heavy-duty truck, and says it showcases the evolution of its alternative fuel source heavy-duty trucking solution.
Hyundai’s light duty Mighty battery electric truck will also be on display on the Hyundai stand in Brisbane. although the Hyundai has threatened to launch its Mighty electric and start actually marketing them to truck buyers, that is yet to happen, although Truck and Bus News hears that will possibly happen in the second half of 2025.
Truck and Bus News and Transport & Trucking Australia filed a feature story on the Xcient Fuel Cell truck in 2023 when we visited the Hyundai distributor in Auckland to look at and discuss the trial program operating with NZ Post.
Hyundai has been an early adopter of hydrogen and fuel cells and the company’s Australian HQ at Macquarie Park in Sydney’s North has hydrogen storage and a hydrogen refuelling point on site, initially to fill up hydrogen powered Hyundai cars, however it underlines the Korean giant’s commitment to hydrogen technology.
Just when Hyundai will bring the heavy duty hydrogen Xcient to Australia as a commercial proposition is unknown but given the gestation period of the Mighty electric models, it may be some time.
When visiting the Daimler-Volvo hydrogen joint venture, CelCentric in Germany in 2023 one executive intimated to us that the European joint venture saw Hyundai as one of its clear rivals in the race to commercialise the abundant g as a clean power source for heavy and long distance truck operations. Given the Daimler Volvo H2 trucks aren’t expected to enter production until around 2028, it seems like the Koreans are already well ahead.
Both trucks will be on display come next year’s show at the Hyundai stand 112 located in Hall 2.