Hyundai New Zealand has placed an order with H2H Energy for a 350 bar containerised refuelling station in preparation for the arrival of Hyundai’s FCEV trucks.

Following an introduction from H2H’s long-term partner Hyundai Motor Company Australia, the companies have been evaluating hydrogen opportunities in New Zealand since 2016.

New Zealand is seen as a prime early market for hydrogen heavy vehicle fleet adoption due to the nature of heavy transportation in the country and the abundance of renewable energy sources such as hydro, geothermal, and wind. Hyundai New Zealand received funding from the Low Emission Vehicles Contestable Fund earlier this year to bring hydrogen trucks to New Zealand. The deployment of an FCEV truck trial fleet by Hyundai New Zealand necessitates the installation of a 350 Bar hydrogen refueling station.

The increased capability and refueller containerization will make mobile deployments across the country easier, allowing trial fleet users to see the benefits of hydrogen firsthand while larger refueling infrastructure is built. In the future, it could also serve as a backup unit for larger stations.

H2H CEO Cranston Polson said: “We are proud to continue supporting Hyundai New Zealand in their hydrogen endeavors. They are leading from the front, providing real, practical and manageable solutions, in alignment with the H2H philosophy.”

Hyundai New Zealand General Manager Andy Sinclair said: “Hydrogen energy is the key to building a more sustainable society. It’s the ideal fuel source for the heavy transport industry to help reduce carbon emissions. We are really excited about the arrival of the XCIENT FCEV truck. However, as there won’t be nationwide infrastructure at that time, we’ve chosen to modify our existing refueller to be capable of refuelling at 350 bar for the XCIENT and 700 bar for the NEXO. We look forward to the completion of the project and getting our FCEV truck on the road by the end of the year.”