SEOUL, South Korea, October 2020 - Hyundai Motor, South Korea's largest truck maker has shipped 10 XCIENT Fuel Cell hydrogen electric trucks equipped with Allison 4500R fully automatic transmissions to Switzerland. The Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell hydrogen truck is the world's first commercially avialable hydrogen-electric heavy-duty truck.
The XCIENT hydrogen-electric truck was developed with Hyundai's unique technologies including fuel cell and hydrogen storage system, high-voltage battery pack and drive motor.
The XCIENT Fuel Cell can be charged within 8 - 20 minutes per single charge, minimising vehicle idle time for fueling. The truck is powered by a 190 kW hydrogen fuel cell system combining dual 95 kW fuel cell stacks.
Seven large hydrogen tanks offer a combined storage capacity of around 32.09 kg of hydrogen, enabling the truck to achieve driving range around 400km per fill and charge, thereby providing the ideal solution for long-distance operation.
Allison Transmission's 4500R is designed for heavy-duty vehicles, and is optimized for meeting the requirements of the XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks.
Allison's Continuous Power Technology delivers smooth, seamless, full power shifts and superior acceleration on hills and highways, boosting productivity in the challenging Switzerland terrain. Allison's patented torque converter multiplies drive motor torque at launch, enabling the XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks to utilize a smaller and less powerful drive motor to optimize range and efficiency, while reducing vehicle cost.
In combination with the torque converter, the six forward speeds provide superior ratio coverage as compared to competitive manual and automated manual transmissions, resulting in superior shift quality and overall vehicle performance.
The XCIENT Fuel Cell truck can negotiate grades of 25 per cent and achieve cruising speeds of 120 km/h while fully loaded. The 4500R also helps protect the truck's drive motor from shock loading associated with driveline torsionals, because of the dampening effect of the fluid coupling in the converter. In addition, the 4500R utilises an integrated hydraulic retarder, which provides additional auxiliary braking when integrated with the truck's Downhill Speed Control feature, blending re-gen and retarder torque to optimise braking, energy recovery and extending brake life.
Hyundai Motor plans to expand its leadership in the world for best hydrogen fuel cell technology to the commercial vehicle market.
The export of XCIENT Fuel Cell electric trucks to Switzerland is Hyundai's first foray into the heavy duty commercial vehicle market in Europe. An additional 40 XCIENT Fuel Cell hydrogen trucks are expected to be delivered by the end of this year, and by 2025, Hyundai plans to export 1,600 Allison 4500R-equipped XCIENT Fuel Cell electric trucks to Europe for this order.
"Allison Transmission fully supports Hyundai Motor's global business strategy through our mission to improve the way the world works", said Kyoungmee Lee, Regional Director of Allison Transmission Korea.
"Allison's goal is to be the pre-eminent propulsion partner of choice, regardless of the propulsion method our OEMs and our mutual end customers specify.
"Allison's conventional transmissions can be paired with any fuel type, including diesel, natural gas, and hydrogen. Our electric hybrid and fully electric propulsion products provide additional propulsion optionality for our OEM partners, like Hyundai Motors.
'We are also very pleased that Hyundai Motor's European heavy-duty truck customers are now able to experience the advantages of fully automatic transmissions."
Contact:
Judy Zhu
Allison Transmission
judy.zhu@allisontransmission.com
+86 (10) 6468-6800, ext. 8809
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No. 2 Bldg., No. 2 Jianguomenwai Ave.
Chaoyang, Beijing, China 100022