Allison Transmission has announced that GLS, a global shipping company, has successfully completed 30,000 kilometers in its evaluation of the Allison-equipped Hyundai Xcient hydrogen fuel cell truck in Germany. Since late 2023, GLS Germany has delivered over 100,000 packages with the Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell 6x2 truck equipped with an Allison 4000 Series fully automatic transmission in the greater Cologne area. Additionally, since March 2024, the truck has been used for long-distance trips between Cologne and Mannheim. For the Europe-wide parcel service, this hydrogen truck trial is a further step in the testing of environmentally friendly propulsion technologies in everyday logistics.
The three-axle vehicle with a steered rear axle, which can transport up to 1,300 parcels per trip, is powered by a 180-kilowatt (241 horsepower) hydrogen fuel cell system with two 90-kilowatt fuel cell units. The two fuel cell units feed a 350-kilowatt electric motor (2,237 newton-meters), which is coupled with an Allison fully automatic transmission for fast acceleration without loss of tractive power.
Allison's patented torque converter multiplies the drive motor's torque at startup, allowing the Xcient to operate with a smaller and less powerful drive motor, maximizing range and efficiency and helping to reduce vehicle costs.
