What’s Happening: FirstElement Fuel, a leading provider of hydrogen fueling solutions, and Hyundai Motor Company, a leader in Class 8 Fuel Cell Electric Truck development, have joined forces to fuel and test Hyundai Motor’s XCIENT Fuel Cell Heavy Duty trucks in California. The partnership involves leveraging FirstElement Fuel’s True Zero network of hydrogen refueling stations to fuel three XCIENT Fuel Cell prototypes at full 700 bar pressure. In addition, FirstElement Fuel is deploying its first-of-its-kind high-capacity mobile refueler to support pilot programs for several other Heavy Duty FCEV OEMs.
Why It Matters: The partnership between FirstElement Fuel and Hyundai Motor is significant because it demonstrates the growing momentum of hydrogen fuel cell technology in the transport and logistics sector, with zero emissions. The project aims to advance hydrogen as a replacement for fossil fuels, thereby contributing to global efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
Key Points:
- FirstElement Fuel is partnering with Hyundai Motor to fuel and test Hyundai’s XCIENT Fuel Cell Heavy Duty trucks in California.
- FirstElement Fuel is leveraging its True Zero network of hydrogen refueling stations to fuel three XCIENT Fuel Cell prototypes at full 700 bar pressure.
- FirstElement Fuel is deploying its first-of-its-kind high-capacity mobile refueler to support pilot programs for several other Heavy Duty FCEV OEMs.
- FirstElement Fuel’s Class A licensed drivers are piloting three Hyundai Motor’s XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks on routes throughout California, covering over 25,000 miles with zero emissions.
- FirstElement Fuel is unique in offering the largest network of hydrogen stations in the world that are supplied by Liquid Hydrogen instead of gaseous, which is far more efficient for large quantities of hydrogen required to fuel Class 8 Fuel Cell Electric trucks efficiently.
- Later this year, FirstElement Fuel and Hyundai Motor will launch the world’s largest commercial deployment of Class 8 hydrogen-powered fuel cell trucks in Oakland, California.
- The project, titled NorCAL ZERO, is jointly funded by the California Energy Commission (CEC) and the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and is being managed by the Center for Transportation and the Environment (CTE).
Bottom Line: The partnership between FirstElement Fuel and Hyundai Motor marks a significant step towards the commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell technology in the transport and logistics sector. The successful partnership will provide valuable data and learnings which are helping inform design considerations for the NorCAL ZERO project, aimed at advancing hydrogen as a replacement for fossil fuels.
