Hyundai Motor Group is working with Glovis America on the use of Xcient hydrogen fuel cell trucks for inbound logistics operations at its EV metaplant in the US
Hyundai has started using heavy-duty hydrogen fuel-cell electric trucks for logistics operations at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America (HMGMA) in the US state of Georgia.
Twenty-one Hyundai Xcient Class 8 etrucks will be used to transport parts inbound from suppliers to the plant complex near Savannah by the vehicle maker’s joint venture with Glovis America – HTWO Logistics. The fleet represents more than a third of the of Glovis America truck fleet being used at HMGMA. The trucks were supplied from Hyundai’s truck and bus plant in Jeonju, South Korea and imported through the US port of Brunswick. The HTWO venture is a branch of the fuel-cell system brand Hyundai launched in 2020, which has now evolved to include all Hyundai Motor Group’s businesses and partners involved in the hydrogen value chain from production and storage to transport and utilisation.
In the initial phase the trucks are being used to transport parts between suppliers and the on-site consolidation centre which is also run by the joint venture with Glovis America. Later these logistics will expand to a broader network of suppliers.
Through the HTWO brand, Hyundai Motor Group projects that it will use 3m tonnes of hydrogen per year by 2035, powering businesses, such as clean logistics, green steel production and power generation.
“HMGMA’s deployment of Xcient [trucks] for logistics and operations is one of the main initiatives of HTWO,” said Jim Park, senior vice-president of commercial vehicle and hydrogen business development, Hyundai Motor North America. “This is delivering on our strategy and vision to showcase a closed-loop hydrogen logistics ecosystem and improve the environmental sustainability of manufacturing operations.”
The carmaker said that the use of the Xcient hydrogen trucks was part of its Clean Logistics Project, which will integrate a comprehensive hydrogen value chain at the plant complex.
Hyundai plans to build a hydrogen production and refuelling station on site at HMGMA at a later date and HTWO Logistics is installing a mobile hydrogen refuelling station at the site.
Hyundai will ramp up production of Hyundai, Genesis and Kia battery EVs at HMGMA through the first half of 2025 and has installed annual capacity to produce 300,000 EVs. It is Hyundai’s first dedicated EV mass-production plant. Hyundai Motor Group and its suppliers have invested $5.54 billion in the site in Bryan County. That investment includes digital technology that will be used to connect and optimise processes from order collection, procurement, logistics and production. The carmaker said that the innovative manufacturing system will also help create a human-centered work environment with robots assisting human workers.
Work began on the plant in 2022. HMGMA will create more than 8,100 jobs over the next few years, according to the carmaker, as it aims to establish a stable supply chain for EV battery and other EV components in the US market.
As indicated, the hydrogen fuel cell trucks being used at HMGMA were imported through the port of Brunswick and Georgia Ports Authority (GPA) has been working with finished vehicle logistics provider Wallenius Wilhelmsen and terminal infrastructure developer TransDevelopment Group (TDG) to expand operations and upgrade existing terminal facilities at the port of Brunswick, including for commercial vehicle and equipment processing.
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