Hyundai teases concept hydrogen truck

Hyundai has revealed the first renderings of its concept for a hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric truck called the HDC-6 Neptune.

The company will debut its latest commercial truck concept at this year’s North American Commercial Vehicle Show in Atlanta, Georgia from October 2831.

In addition, Hyundai Translead (HT) will also reveal an eco-friendly, high-performance refrigerated concept trailer called the HT Nitro ThermoTech.

Hyundai’s says the Neptune recognises the Roman god of the seas, symbolising the largest potential source of hydrogen fuel on Earth.

While the idea of electric trucks is not new with Daimler group launching the Fuso eCanter and showing the Australian media the Freightliner eCascadia which is now testing in fleets in the US, it’s good to see another big manufacturer showing that it’s working on the electric future as well.

Other companies have dabbled in fuel-cell technology in trucks with Nicola Motor getting a lot of media for its Nicola One concept, and even Kenworth in the US developed some fuel-cell trucks in collaboration with Toyota Motor North America. The two giants combined to develop 10 zero-emission Kenworth T680s powered by Toyota hydrogen fuel cell electric powertrains, but whether they go into production is unknown.

Whether Hyundai goes ahead with the development of a fuel-cell truck is also unknown but what is known is that they do have the technology.

“We have cemented the fuel cell technology leadership position in the passenger vehicle sector with the world’s first commercially produced fuel cell EV and the second-generation fuel cell EV, the NEXO,” commented Edward Lee, Head of Commercial Vehicle Business Division at Hyundai Motor Company.

“With the introduction of HDC-6 Neptune, in addition to the road proven Xcient fuel cell truck, we expand our technology leadership into the commercial vehicle sector by unveiling our vision of how fuel cell electric trucks can resolve the environmental equations of widely used commercial vehicles and our commitment to create a decarbonised society,” he added.

In addition to HDC-6 Neptune’s unique construction, fuel cell system and advanced in-cab technology, its design draws inspiration from the streamliner railway trains of the 1930s with its art deco style.

Hyundai’s current commercial offerings include trucks from Class 2 to Class 8 as well as buses which are manufactured in three plants and currently sold in 130 countries.