Against a backdrop of climate urgency, access to Low Emission Zones (LEZs) and transparent CSR reporting, all eyes in the transport industry are on zero-emission vehicles – electric and hydrogen. Already in operation, electric trucks should soon be joined by hydrogen trucks in this market. The hydrogen market has long faced challenges such as the availability of refuelling infrastructure and production costs, but all the players in the sector seem determined to speed up the adoption of hydrogen in heavy-duty mobility. The year 2024 promises to be a promising one, just like this energy source… This article presents the hydrogen HGVs available to order, with deliveries expected to follow in the coming months.
Which hydrogen-powered trucks will soon be on the road in France?
• Hyundai XCient
Developed in South Korea by Hyundai, the XCient hydrogen truck is already available in Switzerland and Germany. France is expected to join the list from 2024. In 2014, Hyundai made history by becoming the first manufacturer to mass-produce a hydrogen-powered car with its ix35 Fuel Cell model. Hyundai then quickly affirmed its role as a hydrogen pioneer with the release of the XCient Fuel Cell truck. Technical data according to manufacturer:
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- Tank storage capacity: 31 kilos of hydrogen
- Range: 400 km
- Configurations : 6×2, 4×2 rigid
• Iveco FCEV
Italian manufacturer Iveco is developing a hydrogen fuel cell truck model at its Ulm plant in Germany. As part of the European H2Haul project, the aim of which is to make hydrogen solutions widely available for freight transport, a number of prototype units will be put into operation in 2024. Mass-produced Iveco FCEV trucks will be available from the second half of 2025. This FCEV tractor will offer a payload of up to 24.7 tonnes, a range of 800 km and rapid refuelling in less than 20 minutes, making it suitable for long-distance road haulage missions. Technical data according to manufacturer:
Translated with DeepL.com (free version)
- Tank storage capacity: 70 kilos of hydrogen
- Range: 800 km
- Configuration : 6×2 tractor truck
Is retrofitting a solution to accelerate the decarbonisation of trucks?
A retrofit is particularly interesting when it comes to putting hydrogen trucks with non-standard architectures and configurations on the road. If you’d like to find out more about what’s behind this word, read this article.
• Hyliko Trucks
Hyliko’s dedicated “Trucks” unit is working on a range from tractor units to rigids, covering 60% of the market’s needs. The first Hyliko vehicle is a 26-tonne straight truck developed in partnership with GreenGT, which specialises in high-power hydrogen propulsion. The special feature of this truck is that it can be retrofitted with hydrogen from a Renault Trucks chassis. It is due to go on the road in the first half of 2024. The young French company will then be the first to homologate a hydrogen retrofit truck on its domestic market. From prototypes, these heavy-duty vehicles will then go into series production. Aimed at hauliers ready to commit to the energy transition of their fleets, Hyliko’s full-service package includes long-term hire of new or retrofitted hydrogen trucks as required, access to a green hydrogen network* and associated fleet management and decarbonisation services. Whether you are a haulier looking for support on the road to zero emissions, or a prime contractor looking to take a major step forward in your CSR approach, start your project by contacting a Hyliko expert. *green, low-carbon and super-green in partnership Technical Sheet :
- Tank storage capacity: 40 kilos of hydrogen
- Range: 400 km
- Configurations: 8×4, 8×2, 6×4, 6×2, 4×2 rigid and 4×2 tractor truck
New or retrofit hydrogen truck? If you’re not sure which option to choose, this article is sure to help.
What is the outlook for the hydrogen truck market in France?
The democratisation of hydrogen trucks cannot be achieved without the widespread availability of refuelling infrastructures. That’s why all the players are working together to create a broad hydrogen network such as Hyliko Extended, an interoperability programme of partner hydrogen stations, to stimulate the hydrogen vehicle market and its acceptance by hauliers. Thanks to the collaboration between manufacturers, transport professionals and their customers, we can expect constant innovation in the field of hydrogen mobility. The focus is on increasing autonomy, reducing costs and improving the overall performance of hydrogen vehicles.
Hydrogen trucks represent a promising solution for the future of road haulage in France. With models on the market imminently and a strong commitment to developing the necessary infrastructure, the country appears to be positioning itself as one of Europe’s leaders in the adoption of this clean, sustainable energy.
