A hydrogen-powered fuel cell truck from Hyundai Motor equipped with an Allison transmission has delivered over 100,000 parcels for GLS Germany since the end of 2023.

The 6×2 XCIENT’s 350 kW electric motor is coupled to an Allison 400 Series fully automatic transmission and is powered by a 180 kW hydrogen fuel cell system.

The delivery company deployed the fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) in the greater Cologne area and used them on long-distance trips between the city and Mannheim, transporting up to 1,300 packages per trip.

Allison’s converter is designed to multiply the torque of the drive motor at start-up, allowing the XCIENT to operate with a smaller and less powerful drive motor, maximizing range and efficiency, which in turn reduces costs.

“We are open to new technologies and want to explore the different possibilities,” explains Oualid Hamza, Operations Manager at GLS. “For us, the most important thing is that it works. The vehicle itself works well. There have been no problems or breakdowns.” Hyundai

Heidi Schutte, Vice-President of EMEA, APAC and South America Sales at Allison Transmission, said: “Our fuel-independent conventional transmissions are designed to integrate seamlessly with different fuel types, ensuring Allison continues to be successful in providing environmentally conscious transportation solutions.”

Hyundai announced that it would begin testing its autonomous heavy-duty hydrogen Class 8 XCIENT FCEV in May (2024). The truck was equipped with Level 4 autonomous driving technology that could enable the vehicle to drive fully autonomously under certain conditions.

Read more: Hyundai tests self-driving heavy-duty truck powered by hydrogen