COLOGNE BORNHEIM, August 27, 2024 – Since the end of November 2023 the Xcient Fuel Cell 6x2 with swap body and Allison fully automatic transmission has been in regular operation at GLS Germany in the Cologne-Bonn area to collect parcels from customers. Since March 2024, it has also been used for long-distance transport between Cologne and the logistics center in Mannheim. In the meantime (as of the end of May 2024), the vehicle has covered over 30,000 kilometers and transported more than 100,000 parcels with zero emissions.

The three-axle vehicle with steered rear axle, which weighs up to 27 tons and can weigh up to 40 tons together with a trailer, is powered by a 180 kW (approx. 241 HP) hydrogen fuel cell system with two 90 kW fuel cell units. The two fuel cell units feed a 350 kW electric motor (2,237 Nm), which is coupled with an Allison fully automatic transmission for fast acceleration without loss of tractive power. The seven hydrogen tanks hold a total of 31 kilograms of hydrogen. With a 72-kWh battery set consisting of three high-performance buffer batteries as an additional energy source, this is sufficient for a range of around 380 kilometers per tank filling.

Up to 1,300 parcels can be transported per trip. The vehicle is fuelled at public filling stations in Wesseling and Frechen. In cooperation with the GLS partner company Recht Logistik and the rental company Hylane, the truck is used on the main route and for collecting parcels from customers.

GLS officials praise the high level of driving comfort of the Xcient Fuel Cell with its fully automatic transmission. GLS Regional Manager Gero Liebig emphasizes the low noise level, smooth running and manoeuvrability of the vehicle. "It is great how agile the truck is and how easily and precisely it can be maneuvered thanks to the automatic transmission. This is particularly important when driving underneath the swap bodies.” He adds: "The truck is really fun to drive. It is almost as quiet as an electric vehicle, which means that night deliveries are possible at any time, even in populated areas. That gives us flexibility."

For the Europe-wide parcel service, the use of the hydrogen truck is a further step in the testing of environmentally friendly propulsion technologies in everyday logistics. The GLS fleet also includes more than 1,100 electric vehicles and 15 LNG trucks alone, which are in use around the depot in Bornheim. "We are open to new technologies and want to explore the various options. The main thing for us is that it works," says GLS Operations Manager Oualid Hamza pragmatically. In this respect, the hydrogen truck, which has now clocked up more than 30,000 kilometers, has performed flawlessly. "The vehicle itself works well. There have been no problems or breakdowns," says Hamza. One fly in the ointment is the still rather sparse network of hydrogen filling stations, which makes day-to-day planning more difficult.

The Allison 4500 R transmission is designed for heavy-duty vehicles and has been optimized by Allison application engineers for the requirements of the Xcient Fuel Cell trucks. Allison's Continuous Power Technology™ provides smooth, seamless full-load shifts and superior acceleration. The torque converter multiplies the drive motor's torque at startup, allowing the Xcient trucks to operate with a smaller and less powerful drive motor. This maximizes range and efficiency and helps to reduce vehicle costs. In addition, the 4500 R features an integrated hydraulic retarder. The combination of regenerative braking with conventional friction brakes and retarder torque optimizes braking and energy recovery and also extends brake life.

Torsten Troebs, Customer Support & Channel Development Manager at Allison Transmission, explains: "Allison transmissions are suitable for all types of powertrains, from diesel to natural gas and hydrogen. This flexibility has also contributed to the Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell being the first series production heavy-duty hydrogen fuel cell truck to feature an Allison transmission."

Technical data

Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell, 6 x 2, with Allison 4500 R fully automatic transmission