As a senior Hyundai executive tasked with communicating Hyundai’s latest design and engineering technologies, Derek Joyce has been involved with the Korean automaker’s innovations relating to hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, including the NEXO SUV and the HDC-6 NEPTUNE concept tractor-trailer rig.
He exclusively answered a series of questions recently posed by Aftermarket Business World:
What are some of the characteristics of your NEXO?
The biggest thing about the NEXO is that it’s the first and only fuel cell SUV that you can buy.
One of the most important characteristics is that it has a range of 380 miles. It’s a brand new vehicle, so it’s been very enhanced from its previous incarnation; Tucson Fuel Cell was the previous name of the vehicle. It (NEXO) has a larger interior with all new premium/luxury materials, and it has a huge audio screen.
Do you have other hydrogen-related technologies under development?
Hyundai is the world leader in fuel cell hydrogen technology, and we’re pursuing it very actively. NEXO is the current offering form Hyundai, and you’ll see more offerings.
How well was your HDC-6 NEPTUNE received during October’s North American Commercial Vehicle (NACV) Show in Atlanta?
It was very well received. The real purpose of that was as a design exercise. It is a fuel cell-powered tractor-trailer. It is moving along in development, and there is strong momentum behind that prototype.
What are some of the qualities of this vehicle, and when do you expect some of its innovations to be incorporated in a vehicle release?
The HDC-6 NEPTUNE evolves the Class 8 truck, looking toward the future in design, in-cab technology and propulsion system.
The concept continues Hyundai’s leadership in moving to a de-carbonized society and the advancement of zero-emission vehicles. This future truck will add to the company’s success in commercial vehicles, which are already sold in 130 countries around the world.
Hyundai also chose the 2019 North American Commercial Vehicle Show to debut the HDC-6 NEPTUNE Concept to introduce Hyundai commercial vehicles to the U.S. market. While Hyundai’s commercial offerings are well-known elsewhere, this is the first time they have been shown in the U.S.
Also, Hyundai Translead (HT), a leading trailer manufacturer, announced the launch of its new, clean energy refrigerated concept trailer, the HT Nitro ThermoTech. The tractor-trailer combination provides a window into the future of the transportation in the U.S. and around the world.
Adding to Hyundai’s sustainable mobility vision, the HT Nitro ThermoTech will be one of the first trailer manufacturers in North America to introduce a refrigerated trailer using a cryogenic nitrogen refrigeration technology system.
The concept trailer, developed in collaboration with Air Liquide, is changing the way Hyundai Translead provides refrigerated transportation. The HT Nitro ThermoTech concept trailer’s carbon footprint is up to 90 percent less than a traditional unit.
The HT Nitro ThermoTech concept trailer features new, enhanced structural designs. The side wall, front wall and roof are each constructed as a one-piece, structural sandwich foam panel with Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) skins.
The materials are made without posts and roof bows. The one-piece structural foam panel design creates a lighter weight trailer with increased wall strength and enhanced thermal efficiency, while maintaining the same cubic trailer volume. The improved structure panels are bonded to the rails, which reduce thermal bridges, remove potential water intrusion and provide a cleaner finish.
Both concepts add product detail to our Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) 2030 Vision for widespread deployment of hydrogen-powered fuel cell technology.
One of the key design inspirations for the HDC-6 NEPTUNE concept was the streamliner railway trains that ran from 1936 until 1959, a prime example of Art Deco industrial design.
The pioneering 20th century industrial designer, Henry Dreyfuss, applied a prime example of Art Deco design for the New York Central Railroad in the 1930s, symbolizing the greatest technological wonder of the era, while looking bold and iconic at the same time.
On HDC-6 NEPTUNE, the design team took packaging challenges and found new ways to combine both form and function. Due to increased cooling requirements, the grill of the concept commercial vehicle is applied as the theme across the entire lower portion of the Hyundai HDC-6 NEPTUNE. This creates a distinctive image while maximizing airflow.
The grill concept also integrates the retractable steps, which are cleverly hidden. The combination of both cab over engine and conventional (hood) truck formats achieves packaging efficiency and improved ergonomics.
HDC-6 NEPTUNE employs this inspired function driven design, with new ways to combine both form and function to create an entirely unique new solution within the commercial vehicle industry while offering a holistic global approach.
What are your observations about Korea’s, and specifically Hyundai’s, apparent role in taking the global lead in developing hydrogen vehicles?
We’re absolutely already the leader. We started in 1999.
In 2013, Hyundai launched the first mass-produced and commercially available fuel cell electric vehicle. In 2018, Hyundai launched the dedicated FCEV (fuel cell electric vehicle), NEXO. In December 2018, Hyundai invested $6.4 billion to accelerate the development of a hydrogen society, looking beyond passenger vehicles.
We’ve been focused on developing our own expertise. We’re continuing to move forward, and the NEXO is evidence of that.
Our whole company is committed to developing alternative sources of energy, and hydrogen is a key solution. We have a whole spectrum of propulsion -- electric vehicles too -- and we want to cover the spectrum for consumers.
What are some of the main challenges in developing hydrogen vehicles?
One would be cost, another would be technical expertise and another would be safety development. And probably the biggest challenge would be infrastructure development.
How soon do you expect hydrogen vehicles to become common on the market?
We’re really right at the cusp of them becoming common. By 2025 they should be quite common.
Will most of your vehicles be released first in Korea? Or other nations?
Always we start in our home market with something like this – new technologies. It definitely starts in Korea.
Germany is a major user, and all the Scandinavian countries are especially using a fair amount of hydrogen for transportation. Canada is too, and the rest of the UK – primarily England.
Have you started preparing training programs for repairers who would be working on hydrogen vehicles?
Absolutely! That’s part of the launch of our NEXO. We have three dealers in California with the NEXO, and they are fully trained on how to service the NEXO.
The 2020 NEXO is available in Southern California at Keyes Hyundai in Van Nuys and Tustin Hyundai, and in Northern California at Capitol Hyundai in San Jose.
As we add dealers we’re going to watch and see how the market grows. Every dealership with hydrogen vehicles will also service them.
What are some of the other propulsion systems that are becoming viable for the marketplace?
We’re one of the leaders in electric vehicles. You’ll continue to see new EVs and all forms of hybrids and plug-in hybrids.
You’ll see all the current forms of zero-emissions and low-emissions vehicles – right now we’re at 9 million zero-emissions miles driven.
