The 5 million kilometers driven so far with more than 4,000 tons of CO2 emissions saved show how successful this ecosystem is on the road. 20 operators of fuel cell electric trucks - all Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell - celebrated this 5 millionth kilometer today. Politicians as well as numerous personalities and people interested in this Swiss hydrogen mobility system met in Olten.
Bell Food, von Bergen, Camion Transport, Coop, Chr. Cavegn, Denner, Emmi, Galliker, G. Leclerc, Havi, McDonald's, Mewa, Migros, Murpf, Nestlé, Swiss Post, Rivella/Schöni, Schwab-Guillod, SPAR, VOLG and Gebrüder Weiss: the list of brands and companies on the road in Switzerland with at least one heavy-duty hydrogen-electric commercial vehicle (36-ton trailer combinations) reads like a who's who of the Swiss retail and logistics industry. They all met in Olten on October 15 to drive the 5 millionth kilometer together - with zero emissions, of course. Behind this globally unique achievement are Swiss pioneers who are on the road with a common goal: Contributing to the decarbonization of road traffic. Politicians - including two members of the Co-Presidency of the Parliamentary Group Hydrogen, Maja Riniker (NR/AG) and Albert Rösti (NR/BE) - met with the partners and companies of this H2 ecosystem in Olten and accompanied the trucks together over this 5 millionth kilometer.
Jörg Ackermann, President of the Swiss H2 Mobility Association, comments on this pioneering achievement: "Over the past two years and more, we have been on the road with numerous partners and visionaries at the pace of a start-up to prepare this project and put it into practice. The 5 million kilometers already driven show that it works. We see this milestone in the history of mobility as the perfect moment and as motivation to further develop the H2 ecosystem. However, the 'interim result' also shows Switzerland's unique starting position. This requires a dissolution of boundaries between sectors and individual companies. They have understood that such a mobility system can only be developed in a network. Our credo is: 'It happens because we do it! All the more reason for me to admire everyone involved for their courage and commitment in taking this path."
The next generation of trucks is ready
The heavy-duty H2 Trucks that made this mobility milestone possible are the current models of the Hyundai XCIENT Fuel Cell, the first series-produced heavy-duty commercial vehicle with a fuel cell electric drive. Visitors to the H2 Trucker Meeting in Olten were also able to see the next generation with a 4x2 and 6x2 truck.
Beat Hirschi, CEO of Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility AG: "Today, 47 heavy trailer combinations together drive more than 10,000 km per day. This is only possible because all the players in this hydrogen ecosystem are working together with the aim of emitting only water instead of CO2. I can only thank and compliment every single company and person working on this clean cycle."
Globally unique hydrogen ecosystem - a Swiss pioneering achievement
Behind the five million kilometers and more than 4,000 tons of CO2 emissions saved is an innovative ecosystem that has been built up in Switzerland in recent years by the private sector: by H2 Energy as a system innovator, by Hydrospider AG as a producer and distributor of green hydrogen, by Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility AG as an importer and operator of hydrogen trucks and by the H2 Mobility Switzerland support association. This association brings together 21 well-known Swiss companies that have solved and are solving the chicken-and-egg problem together with Hyundai Hydrogen Mobility and Hydrospider, with eleven public hydrogen filling stations in Switzerland today (AVIA, Coop Pronto, AGROLA and Schwab-Guillod) and 14 leading/name companies from the retail, logistics and transportation sectors.
Green hydrogen - a key element of the energy transition
The basis for low-emission electromobility with fuel cell vehicles is green hydrogen, as currently produced in Switzerland by Hydrospider AG at the run-of-river power plant in Niedergösgen. Hydrogen production began at the same time as the first hydrogen-electric trucks went into operation two years ago. Hydrospider transports the hydrogen to the current eleven hydrogen filling stations in Switzerland using high-pressure containers.
Nicolas Crettenand, CEO of Hydrospider AG: "Green hydrogen will play an indispensable role in the energy transition and decarbonization. Hydrogen can replace the fossil fuels that are mainly used today, particularly in the heavy goods transport sector. We are very pleased with these 5 million kilometers, but they have also challenged us. The hydrogen-electric trucks drive so much and so reliably that we need to expand production as quickly as possible and thus create the conditions for further growth on the production side." The second production facility in Switzerland will be put into operation before the end of the year by SAK (St. Gallisch-Appenzellische Kraftwerke) and Osterwalder St. Gallen (AVIA). This also means that an important goal of the ecological cycle is becoming increasingly important: the establishment of decentralized production of green hydrogen. This will further reduce the transportation distances between production and hydrogen filling stations.
Patrick Huber, CEO of H2 Energy Holding AG: "The Swiss hydrogen ecosystem and this joint achievement by all players is attracting worldwide attention. The concordance achieved with the companies in the Swiss H2 Mobility Association is unique and a typical Swiss success story. In the European and global context, this model is regarded as proof that the hydrogen cycle can be implemented in practice. This has an influence that should not be underestimated on the immense investments currently being made in Europe and worldwide for the production of green hydrogen and the development of H2 ecosystems. It will now be crucial to create the right framework conditions to further scale this successful start and demonstrate that hydrogen technology will make its contribution to the implementation of the energy transition."
