Latest news with #fuelcell
Al Bawaba
03-06-2025
- Automotive
- Al Bawaba
Hyundai Motor Unveils the New XCIENT Heavy-Duty Fuel Cell Truck at ACT Expo 2025
Hyundai Motor Company introduced the new XCIENT Fuel Cell Class-8 heavy-duty truck at the Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo 2025 in Anaheim, California, showcasing its ongoing commitment to expanding its hydrogen business in North the expo, from April 28 to May 1, the company aims to cement its leadership in the global hydrogen energy transition and bolster its market position in the North American commercial vehicle sector. This will be achieved by leveraging the extensive expertise and robust operational capabilities of Hyundai Motor Group to create a cleaner, more resilient ecosystem through its HTWO hydrogen business Hyundai's ACT Expo press conference, Ken Ramirez, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Commercial Vehicle and Hydrogen Business at Hyundai Motor Company, emphasized the company's commitment to delivering real-world, production-ready solutions that move the industry forward, with technology, reliability, and manufacturing expertise.'At Hyundai Motor, we are redefining the future of clean logistics with innovative solutions that prioritize safety, efficiency and sustainability,' said Ramirez. 'By leveraging cutting-edge technologies such as Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) features and forging strategic partnerships to enhance operations and infrastructure, we are empowering our fleet partners to navigate a rapidly changing landscape and lead the transition to a smarter and more sustainable future.'He also highlighted Hyundai Motor Group's capabilities across the hydrogen value chain – from production to storage, transportation, and utilization – to build a more sustainable and resilient ecosystem, leading the shift toward a sustainable energy Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell truck for North America unveiledIn alignment with its commitment to expanding clean logistics through hydrogen mobility, Hyundai Motor unveiled the new XCIENT Fuel Cell heavy-duty truck alongside its leading fuel cell system. This advanced production model was first shown as a concept at ACT Expo 2024 and has been designed specifically for the North American XCIENT Fuel Cell is the world's first mass-produced hydrogen-powered heavy-duty truck, advancing zero-tailpipe emission commercial transportation. Launched in 2020, the XCIENT Fuel Cell has been deployed in 13 countries, logging more than 13 million kilometers of cumulative driving in Switzerland, where it was initially launched, highlighting Hyundai's dedication to clean transportation, aided by public-private new XCIENT features an upgraded hydrogen fuel cell system and since 2021 has undergone rigorous testing across diverse climates and use cases in North America. This testing, combined with continuous collaboration with fleet operators, has ensured the vehicle meets various customer driving needs, including port transportation and medium-distance XCIENT Fuel Cell specifications:• Powered by a 180 kW hydrogen fuel cell system• Equipped with two 90 kW stacks, ensuring reliable energy generation• Equipped with a 72 kWh battery pack• Features a 350 kW e-motor, providing maximum torque of 2,237 Nm• Delivers a driving range of maximum 450 miles under optimal conditions• Contains 10 hydrogen tanks (total combined capacity of approximately 68 kg)• Includes a Class-8 tractor variant tailored for North America• Gross combination weight of up to 82,000 lbs., suitable for heavy-duty applicationsThe XCIENT Fuel Cell truck's interior design has been improved for driver convenience and comfort. Interior enhancements include a 12.3-inch fully digital instrument cluster, offering drivers clear and concise information at a glance, and a 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system featuring physical buttons integrated into the center console for driver convenience and new model is also equipped with a comprehensive suite of Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS) designed to improve safety and minimize driver fatigue. These enhancements include:• Forward Collision-Avoidance Assist (FCA)• Lane Departure Warning (LDW)• Smart Cruise Control (SCC)• Blind-Spot Collision Warning (BCW)• Blind-Spot Collision Warning-Near (BCW-NEAR)• Forward Collision Warning-Near (FCW-NEAR)Clean logistics successfully implemented in North America under strategic partnershipsAt ACT Expo, Hyundai Motor highlighted its hydrogen-powered logistics and clean transportation milestones, achieved in cooperation with several strategic North American partnerships and the NorCAL ZERO Project, a total of 30 XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks at the Ports of Oakland and Richmond are being operated, marking the largest single commercial deployment of hydrogen trucks in North America. These trucks are used for zero-tailpipe emission freight transportation, including container hauling, and have achieved nearly 450,000 miles of seamless operation since September Motor has also partnered with GLOVIS America for the HTWO Logistics initiative, first announced at ACT Expo 2024. Focusing on decarbonizing logistics around Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) by producing and consuming hydrogen on-site, 21 XCIENT fuel cell trucks are now responsible for nearly half of the plant's inbound and outbound delivery real-world demonstration of a hydrogen ecosystem, encompassing production, supply, refueling and vehicle operations, at HMGMA clearly reflects the Group's operational capabilities and its commitment to the execution of a decarbonized logistics value chain. Since the launch of operations in October 2024, the partners have outlined a plan to replicate this successful hydrogen-powered business operation ACT Expo, Hyundai Motor also introduced the expansion of the Group's HTWO hydrogen business brand into an open platform, bringing together partners, investors, and industries across the entire value company announced plans to launch 'HTWO Energy Savannah', the industry's first Class-8 heavy-duty truck hydrogen refueling and electric recharging station in collaboration with HydroFleet and Capital Development Partners, assisting development near HMGMA in Savannah, Georgia. The station is scheduled to begin operations by the end of Fuel Cell truck on display at ACT Expo 2025 The XCIENT Fuel Cell truck is on display at Hyundai Motor's booth (open to the public from April 29 to May 1) along with its hydrogen fuel cell system. The truck will be shown alongside exhibits demonstrating the company's business plans in the U.S. To further engage with media and industry professionals, Hyundai Motor is offering XCIENT Fuel Cell test drives during the expo, providing firsthand experience of the fuel cell truck's cutting-edge technology and recent upgrades.
Auto Blog
29-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Is the 2025 Toyota Mirai Worth It? Hydrogen Car Pros and Cons
The 2025 Toyota Mirai promises zero emissions and sleek design—but limited infrastructure and high fuel costs raise big questions. Here's what buyers should know. Hydrogen Infrastructure Limits Toyota's Mirai Potential Is hydrogen back? Well, Toyota thinks so and has staked a sizeable portion of its future on the Mirai fuel-cell sedan. Yet just 74 U.S. pumps feel like an oasis in California's desert—drivers outside L.A. and the Bay Area must reroute for every fill. Dreaming of coast-to-coast freedom? Half the Golden State still can't find a nozzle without a detour. Can this new run at consumer-oriented hydrogen FCVs be more than a mirage? Location package with matched HDRI — Source: Toyota Real-World Range and High Fuel Costs Raise Concerns Toyota's 402-mile EPA claim for the Mirai dazzled in March, but real-world drivers settle for closer to 320 miles under mixed conditions. Paying $36 per kilogram of H₂ in California pushes your per-mile cost past $0.60. That's enough to make any commuter flinch when the pump light winks on. By comparison, EV drivers pay about $0.05 per mile charging at home or roughly $0.10 per mile at public DC fast stations, while gasoline drivers incur around $0.14 per mile at $3.50/gal and 25 mpg. Fast Fills, Long Waits: The Hydrogen Refueling Catch EV owners endure 30-minute DC fast stops yet console themselves with having access to 30,000+ U.S. fast chargers. Mirai fans brag about a five-minute fill, then cross fingers for a working station, and then hope for no lines up ahead. That five-minute thrill can morph into a half-hour headache when infrastructure vanishes. Source: Toyota Toyota Bets Big on Hydrogen with Next-Gen Tech and Investments Toyota's third-gen fuel-cell system ups efficiency by 20% and cuts stack costs 30%, backed by $200 million in new plants and 5,600+ patents. Big rigs, buses and ships eye hydrogen's energy density where batteries buckle. By skipping 20,000-lb battery packs, fuel-cell semis reclaim precious payload capacity—a lifeline for fleet operators that's already spurring hydrogen-corridor pilots from coast to coast. As trucking giants and ports install high-capacity H₂ pumps, Mirai owners could reap the benefits of the very infrastructure designed to keep big rigs rolling. Where the semis go, so too Mirai. Interestingly, Wall Street is betting the FCV market will explode from $2.5 billion today to $30 billion by 2032, seasoning Toyota's multi-hundred-million-dollar wager. Despite earlier setbacks by other automakers, analysts now view Toyota as the true first mover in the hydrogen era. The Mirai has become a big bet, one that even Wall Street is backing. Source: Toyota Incentives Sweeten the Deal but Risks Remain for Buyers Toyota's Mirai isn't just a concept. The second-gen Mirai has been on sale since late 2020, and the all-new 2025 model went on sale this spring, exclusively in California (only where hydrogen stations exist). You can order one now, with Toyota even sweetening the deal with up to $15,000 off complimentary hydrogen through 2031 or six years of free fuel. Owning a Mirai today means tying your daily commute, resale value and weekend escapes to Toyota's still-sketchy pump network. If you crave silent, zero-emission miles and you're ready to pay a premium for pioneering status, schedule a test drive now. Just prepare your route around the stations that will make or break your hydrogen promise. Source: Toyota
Times
27-05-2025
- Science
- Times
Electric passenger aircraft could take flight with sodium fuel cells
Electric-powered aircraft and zero-emissions flights may be a step closer after scientists unveiled a new fuel cell they believe has 'revolutionary' potential. In laboratory tests, the cell — which runs on the realtively cheap fuel of sodium and air — was able to deliver far more energy than a conventional battery of the same weight. As an added bonus, it produces a chemical by-product that could be used to remove CO₂ from the atmosphere. In aviation, the energy density of a power source — the amount of energy stored per unit of weight — is critical. Aircraft must be as light as possible to achieve lift and to maximise range, and the lithium-ion batteries used in electric cars have too low an energy density to power most aircraft. Without a large boost in energy density, electric-powered flight remains impractical for all but the smallest aircraft over short distances. In laboratory tests the prototype fuel cell delivered more than five times as much energy per kilogram as the lithium-ion batteries currently used for cars. In a study published in the journal Joule, a team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported that a prototype version achieved energy densities of more than 1,500 watt-hours per kilogram — far beyond the 250 to 300 Wh/kg typical of lithium-ion batteries. In a real-life system, they believe that would translate to more than 1,000 Wh/kg – a threshold seen as necessary to make electric-powered regional aviation viable. 'People have been aware of the energy density you could get with metal-air batteries for a very long time,' Professor Yet-Ming Chiang of MIT, a senior author of the study, said. 'It's been hugely attractive, but it's just never been realised in practice.' The device is based on well-established electrochemical principles. Unlike conventional batteries, which must be recharged, it is designed to be refuelled, with its energy-rich material being replaced as it is consumed. At the simplest level, it works by combining liquid sodium metal with oxygen drawn from the air. On one side of the fuel cell, sodium atoms give up electrons, generating an electric current. Sodium ions — positively charged atoms missing an electron — pass through a solid ceramic electrolyte, while the electrons travel through an external circuit to do useful work. On the opposite side, the sodium ions meet oxygen from the air, completing the circuit. As long as sodium is supplied and air is available, the reaction continues. One striking feature of the system is that its chemical byproducts could absorb CO₂ from the air. As sodium reacts with oxygen, it forms sodium oxide, which converts into sodium hydroxide in the presence of moisture. This compound readily absorbs carbon dioxide, producing sodium carbonate and ultimately sodium bicarbonate — the same substance found in baking soda. 'There's this natural cascade of reactions that happens when you start with sodium metal,' Chiang said. 'It's all spontaneous. We don't have to do anything to make it happen — we just have to fly the airplane.' If the final product, sodium bicarbonate, were to end up in the ocean, it could help to de-acidify the water. This could counter one of the damaging effects of excess carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Using sodium hydroxide to capture CO₂ has previously been proposed as a method of mitigating the effects of emissions, but has not been economically viable on its own. 'Here, it's a byproduct,' Chiang said. 'It's essentially free, producing environmental benefits at no cost.' The team has developed two laboratory-scale versions of the device. A start-up company, Propel Aero, has been established to advance the technology. The first goal is to produce a brick-sized fuel cell capable of delivering around 1,000 Wh/kg, enough to power a large drone.
National Post
27-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
WATT Fuel Cell Completes Installation of its Latest Generation Fuel Cell System, WATT HOME™, within Peoples Natural Gas Service Territory
Article content Article content PITTSBURGH — WATT Fuel Cell, in partnership with Essential Utilities, has successfully installed the next-generation WATT HOME solid oxide fuel cell system in Peoples Natural Gas' Western Pennsylvania service territory. The installation marks a significant step forward in enhancing energy efficiency and reliability for residential customers. Article content The WATT HOME system is a cutting-edge technology designed to provide safe, clean, efficient, and reliable energy directly to homes. This system operates by converting natural gas into electricity through an electrochemical process without combustion, offering a sustainable complement or alternative to traditional energy sources. Article content The installation of a WATT HOME system brings numerous advantages to the homeowner and community at large. Those advantages include increased efficiency, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, and a smaller physical footprint. As a back-up power solution, the WATT HOME system provides a dependable source of electricity, minimizing the impact of grid outages. Article content With the increasing strain on the PJM electric grid from extreme weather events and the retirement of baseload generators, the need for reliable backup power has never been greater. On average, U.S. electricity customers experience approximately 5.5 hours of electricity interruptions annually. WATT HOME fuel cell systems keep the lights on during outages without the noise or pollution created by standard backup power generators. Article content 'The rising frequency and severity of power disruptions highlight the urgent need for resilient, efficient, and clean energy solutions,' said Caine Finnerty, CEO and Founder of WATT Fuel Cell. 'When the power goes out, the WATT HOME system activates to ensure your electricity is working all the time.' Article content As part of Peoples' commitment to advance innovative energy solutions, Pennsylvania's largest natural gas utility plans pilot installations of the WATT HOME system in multiple company field offices. These projects will help define the installation and operational process across different use cases, informing a future public rollout. Article content 'The partnership with WATT is the latest in a series of innovative concepts championed by Peoples to meet modern-day energy demands,' said Peoples President Michael Huwar. 'The WATT HOME system's groundbreaking technology has the potential to protect homeowners from volatility in power generation, offering a reliable, resilient and sustainable energy solution that leverages our region's abundant natural gas supply.' Article content WATT Fuel Cell ( is a manufacturer and developer of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell ('SOFC') stacks and systems that operate on common, readily available fuels such as propane and natural gas. WATT's proprietary, patented additive manufacturing process (AMP) has allowed it to produce commercially viable SOFC products for small-scale and remote power applications. WATT's Hybrid Power Management system works in tandem with renewable power sources (solar and wind) and energy storage to provide quiet, efficient, affordable, and environmentally responsible energy solutions prioritizing a return on investment for customers across the globe. Article content About Peoples Natural Gas Article content Peoples, an Essential Utilities (NYSE:WTRG) company, provides clean, safe, affordable and reliable natural gas service to approximately 740,000 homes and businesses in Western Pennsylvania and Kentucky. Peoples is committed to its customers, its employees, the environment, and to the regions it serves. Article content Essential Utilities, Inc. (NYSE:WTRG) delivers safe, clean, reliable services that improve quality of life for individuals, families, and entire communities. With a focus on water, wastewater and natural gas, Essential is committed to sustainable growth, operational excellence, a superior customer experience, and premier employer status. We are advocates for the communities we serve and are dedicated stewards of natural lands, protecting more than 7,600 acres of forests and other habitats throughout our footprint. Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content Article content
Bloomberg
15-05-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Hydrogen Startup ZeroAvia Targets $150 Million Funding Round
Clean-aviation startup ZeroAvia is working to raise about $150 million in a new funding round as it progresses toward commercial introduction of its first hydrogen fuel-cell engine. The company is in discussions with strategic and financial investors for the Series D funding, Chief Executive Officer Val Miftakhov said in an interview. He aims to announce a lead investor on the round, which has been under way for about six weeks, by the Paris Air Show in mid-June.
