Hyundai partners with Yeosu Gwangyang Port Corporation to commercialize hydrogen fuel-cell trucks
17 February 2020
Hyundai Motor Company and Yeosu Gwangyang Port Corporation are partnering to commercialize hydrogen fuel-cell trucks. An MOU between the two includes the development and demonstration of hydrogen fuel-cell trucks for logistics transportation and the establishment of a hydrogen fueling station.
The port region is home to petrochemical complexes that produce hydrogen as a byproduct.
Gwangyang Port (Yeosu area)
The hydrogen fuel-cell trucks will be put into operation for the 320-kilometer (199-mile) round-trip route connecting Gwangyang Port and Busan.
Hyundai plans to introduce two hydrogen trucks for logistics transportation by 2023, and then add 10 more.
Yeosu Gwangyang Port Corporation will provide a site (about 2,000 m2) for the construction of the hydrogen refueling station by 2022.
Heavy transport is a great early target for FCEVs and hydrogen, as the performance envelope for range and payload is far better than can be done with batteries.
In areas like this, ZEV is important to reduce harmful emissions, which with refineries and docks need some dealing with.
Posted by: Davemart | 17 February 2020 at 03:03 AM
Nit: I hate overly-precise unit conversions. Converting the 2-digit accuracy "320 km" to the 3-digit accuracy "199 miles" is simply wrong. The converted number should be given to the same number of significant digits as the original, or 200 miles in this case.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 17 February 2020 at 05:12 AM
produce hydrogen as a byproduct....
Sounds like a good fit.
Posted by: SJC_1 | 17 February 2020 at 10:19 AM
12 Hydrogen fuel cell trucks by 2024, with the hydrogen coming from "petrochemical complexes that produce hydrogen as a byproduct." zOMG!!!
Come on GCC, this barely qualifies as news, except to show how hydrogen even in heavy vehicles is barely happening except in these tiny pilots where Hyundai and Toyota directly invest in the truck and the fuel and the station. Meanwhile battery electric trucks and buses are selling in decent numbers.
Posted by: skierpage | 17 February 2020 at 12:41 PM
Hyundai to produce 1600 fuel cell trucks in Europe alone is not 'decent numbers?'
Posted by: Davemart | 18 February 2020 at 09:42 AM
@Davemart - This looks like a rather local economy for hydrogen, but it is the first time I heard that 'the performance envelope for range and payload is far better than can be done with batteries'. I gather the weight and volume needed in a truck is similar, but the power capacity is different. Please explain.
Posted by: WillyG | 19 February 2020 at 05:46 AM
@WillyG
Hydrogen storage and the associated power conversion equipment (aka fuel cells) especially in a truck is lighter for a given energy storage capacity than is the same for batteries. The weight of the compressed gas cylinders (5 - 6% H2 storage by weight equating to 2,000kg of cylinder weight for 100 kg of H2 stored ) plus fuel cell is easily 1/3 of what can be achieved with batteries. 100kg equates to over 3,000 MWH stored and even after accounting for the 50 - 60% efficiency of the fuel cell, still accounts for more than 1.5MWH. To store 1.5 MWH in a battery using state of the art cells at 300 wh/kg, 5,500 kg will be required. Note, batteries used in trucks where long life and durability are desired will not achieve 300 wh/kg but a more realistic 200 wh/kg meaning the weight increases (up to 8,000 kgs) accordingly. Even accounting for another 200-400kg of buffer batter and fuel cell weight, we are still 1/3 of the weights achievable by batteries.
Posted by: Sheldon A Harrison | 19 February 2020 at 06:37 PM