Hyundai has unveiled a new hydrogen-powered truck. The HD6-Neptune was presented at the North American Commercial Vehicle (NACV) Show. The company also unveiled an accompanying trailer.
Hyundai can be considered one of the world leaders when it comes to fuel technology and has shown that again with the unveiling of the HDC-6 Neptune. According to the company itself, it "marks the future of the transport world". The HDC-6 is powered by hydrogen: it generates electrical energy in a fuel cell, which is then used to drive an electric motor. So this is a different principle from electric cars, which use a battery.
The Korean automotive manufacturer sees many advantages in hydrogen-powered trucks, notably a high range, higher payload, less refuelling time and thus lower costs. A battery is often not a suitable solution for trucks, as they take up a lot of space and the driving range is also limited.
Design
For the design, Hyundai took inspiration from the streamlined railway trains that ran in the US between 1936 and 1959 (including the New York Central Railroad). The manufacturer calls it an "excellent example of industrial design in art deco style. It matches this function-driven design with new ways of creating a completely novel solution through both form and function. "The train gave us the opportunity to define the classic character of the truck," said Luc Donckerwolke, chief design officer of Hyundai Motor Group.
Source: Hyundai.
