Hyundai Motor is teaming up with FirstElement Fuel to test Hyundai’s Xcient fuel cell heavy-duty trucks in California.

FirstElement Fuel’s True Zero network of hydrogen refueling stations will fuel three Xcient Fuel Cell prototypes at full 700 bar pressure. In addition, FirstElement Fuel is deploying its high-capacity mobile refueler, which was developed in a collaboration between FirstElement Fuel, Taylor-Wharton, and Nikkiso. The mobile refueler, which is capable of high-capacity fueling at 125 kilograms per hour, is being used to support pilot programs for several other heavy-duty FCEV OEMs as well.

FirstElement Fuel’s Class A licensed drivers are piloting three Xcient Fuel Cell trucks on routes throughout California, covering over 25,000 miles with zero emissions, according to the company. FirstElement has performed over 120 hydrogen fills for the Xcient Fuel Cell trucks as part of this program.

The hydrogen fueling stations are supplied by liquid hydrogen instead of gaseous. Liquid hydrogen distribution and storage is far more efficient, according to the company, enabling the large quantities of hydrogen required to efficiently fuel Class 8 FCEV trucks.

Later this year, FirstElement Fuel and Hyundai Motor will launch what they say will be the world's largest commercial deployment of Class 8 hydrogen-powered fuel cell trucks in Oakland, California. The project, NorCAL Zero, was jointly funded by the California Energy Commission and the California Air Resources Board and is being managed by the Center for Transportation and the Environment.

The hydrogen refueling partnership between FirstElement Fuel and Hyundai Motor is providing valuable data and learnings that will be used in design considerations for the NorCal Zero project.

“This program has helped FirstElement understand what we need to do to bring high-volume hydrogen refueling infrastructure for heavy-duty fuel cell trucks, and now we are prepared,” said Joel Ewanick, chairman and CEO of FirstElement Fuel. “Our partnership with Hyundai has also given us total confidence that fuel cell technology will eventually meet all the needs of the transport and logistics sector with zero emissions.”

FirstElement Fuel Inc is a California-based company established in 2013 to provide safe, reliable, retail hydrogen to customers of fuel cell electric vehicles.