NZ Post has added a Hyundai Xcient fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) to its fleet, making it the company’s first hydrogen truck.
The NZ Post Hyundai Xcient FCEV was unveiled at an event held at the post’s Auckland Operations Centre. This is the first of five Xcient hydrogen trucks Hyundai Motors brought into New Zealand in 2021. It has undergone several modifications to become road-ready and will be fully commercially operational when the validation process is complete.
Based on typical heavy vehicle mileage, the company has calculated that one FCEV in operation will avoid the equivalent CO2 of around 100 fossil fuel light vehicles. Investing in hydrogen fuel cell technology forms part of NZ Post’s goal to be a fully carbon-neutral business by 2030 and achieve its science-based target of reducing carbon emissions between 2022 and 2030.
David Walsh, CEO of NZ Post, said, “Bringing a hydrogen truck into the fleet is an exciting milestone. We are very proud to be leading the way by putting the country’s first hydrogen truck into commercial operation. Sustainability is a big deal to all of us at NZ Post and we see hydrogen technology as one way to contribute to reducing emissions within New Zealand’s road freight sector.”
Andy Sinclair, CEO of Hyundai New Zealand, said, “I’m delighted that a New Zealand company such as NZ Post, which is so committed to leading the way in sustainability, is the first to invest in this zero-emission transport technology. Heavy transport emissions are notoriously hard to offset, as electric battery vehicle alternatives can’t offer companies the same productivity. Larger trucks are driven all day, every day over long distances. Taking multiple hours out to recharge a battery regularly is time the truck can’t be on the road. Hydrogen technology is an important solution for NZ Post and other similar businesses to introduce as part of reducing their heavy freight emissions.”