A hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle joint venture set up by South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Co. and Swiss hydrogen company H2 Energy (H2E) has officially kicked off in Switzerland this week as the Korean automaker places high hopes in energy-conscious Europe to pitch hydrogen economy.

Hyundai Motor on Thursday announced the official launch of Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility, its joint venture with H2E. Hyundai Motor and H2E signed a memorandum of understanding on supplying hydrogen trucks in September last year, and enhanced their partnership in fostering the proliferation of fuel-cell trucks by agreeing to set up the joint venture in April this year.

H2E is a fledgling entity born May last year in an alliance of Swiss companies that specialize in production and supply of renewable hydrogen in Switzerland. It also leads and executes various projects of the H2 Mobility Swiss Association.

Hyundai Motor plans to supply a total of 1,600 fuel-cell powered heavy trucks in phases until 2025 to the joint venture, which will lease out the trucks to H2E members.

The hydrogen trucks to be supplied to the JV will be a modified version of Hyundai Motor’s ‘Xcient’ heavy-duty trucks that will comply with European regulatory rules and standards. The fuel-cell truck will be topped with a 190-kilowatt hydrogen system with two fuel cell stacks connected in parallel. The company aims to ensure the truck to travel up to 400 kilometers (250 miles) on a single charge.

The Korean automaker plans to leverage Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility to expand out to the European green commercial vehicle market beyond Switzerland. Many European countries have been active in fostering the growth of the clean-energy car market. Fuel-cell and electric trucks are exempt from road tax in Switzerland.

By Lee Jong-hyuk and Cho Jeehyun

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