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Hyundai Motor Company made a strong statement of intent of entry into North American Commercial Vehicle market by exhibiting its XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks at the 2022 Advanced Clean Transportation (ACT) Expo.

The ACT Expo, which took place at the Long Beach Convention Centre in Southern California, from May 9–12, is the largest advanced transportation technology and clean fleet event in the United States, presenting Hyundai Motor with an ideal opportunity to promote its XCIENT Fuel Cell heavy-duty 6x4 tractor-units.

Hyundai Motor views hydrogen as the clean energy solution for commercial vehicles, including vocational trucks that require high amount of energy, due to the convenience in production, transportation, distribution and storage. Hydrogen is an energy carrier with high density which allows fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) to provide sustained energy output suitable for long-haul driving and carrying heavy loads. Fuel cell electric commercial vehicles enhance work efficiency and lower infrastructure cost compared to battery electric vehicles (BEV) by minimising downtime with shorter refuelling time. Hyundai Motor introduced its XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks in Switzerland in 2020, and the world’s first mass produced fuel cell electric heavy-duty truck has already achieved a cumulated range of 3.5 million km as of 30 April, 2022.

With the U.S. government’s significant investment and more players entering the hydrogen market, the total cost of ownership (TCO) for fuel cell electric vehicles will drop significantly in the coming years. Climate change and on-going supply chain issues will accelerate the transition to clean energy sources.

“Hyundai Motor is a leader in the hydrogen fuel cell market with decades of experience and proven expertise. Our proven record of success with commercial fuel cell programs in Korea and Europe has been critical to our launch of heavy-duty fuel cell trucks in North America,” said José Muñoz, President & COO of Hyundai Motor Company. “Deploying XCIENT Fuel Cell tractors at the Port of Oakland for the NorCAL ZERO Project is just the beginning of our goals as we work with partners to fight climate change and build a more sustainable future.”

Jarlath Sweeney

2022 marks the 40th anniversary of the Berliet Foundation, created by the Berliet family and Renault Industrial Vehicles on the initiative of Paul Berliet in 1982. To acknowledge this milestone, a rare 1921 Rochet-Schneider pumper fire truck was exhibited at the recent Salon Retromobile show in Paris.

Type 18400 - 1921 had an active duty career of around sixty years at the Chocolaterie Menier in Noisiel, recording 40,830 km on its odometer. It carried out its firefighting service at the factory itself and also around the town of Noisiel. It was donated by Nestle-France to the Berliet foundation in 2004.

Rochet-Schneider was established by Edouard Rochet and Théodore Schneider in Lyon, France. Edouard Rochet a bicycle builder and Théodore Schneider a motorsport enthusiast, combined forces to create the world renowned Rochet-Schneider Fire truck in 1889. Five years later, their first car was launched, with a single cylinder belt driven, reversible handlebar steering and wooden ‘wagon wheels’.

In 1895 two new and improved versions were made, one equipped with bicycle wheels rimmed with ‘balloon’ tyres.