New Zealand’s first hydrogen-powered fuel cell electric truck, the XCIENT, has reached a significant milestone, clocking up 100,000 kilometres. This achievement has been celebrated by NZ Post, the truck's owner.
NZ Post Chief Executive Officer David Walsh described the milestone as a noteworthy event and expressed his pride in the accomplishment. “NZ Post was the first company in New Zealand to trial the hydrogen truck which aligns with our approach of testing and adopting new technologies,” Walsh said. “As the truck’s odometer ticked over to 100,000km, it added another milestone in our sustainability journey and another step towards our goal of transitioning to net-zero emissions operations by 2050.”
Walsh hopes that NZ Post’s early adoption of zero-emission technology will inspire other companies to follow suit. The XCIENT hydrogen-powered truck was introduced to NZ Post’s fleet in July 2022, marking the first commercial use of such a vehicle in New Zealand.
NZ Post Group Sustainability Manager Dawn Baggaley highlighted the importance of the truck in their efforts to reduce emissions. “NZ Post’s transport fleet accounts for around 45% of our emissions, so therefore NZ Post is focussed on opportunities to decarbonise our transport fleet,” she said. “Heavy transport plays a vital role in our economy, but it’s also a significant contributor to our national emissions, so helping to reduce emissions within our road freight sector reflects NZ Post’s commitment to our people, our communities, and the environment.”
Baggaley acknowledged the support of Hyundai New Zealand in acquiring the truck. Grant Doull, National Manager of Hydrogen and Eco Commercial Vehicles at Hyundai New Zealand, expressed his delight at NZ Post’s investment in zero-emission technology. “We are delighted that NZ Post saw the opportunity to invest in this zero-emission transport technology, showing their commitment to reducing emissions in the road freight sector,” Doull said. “The 100,000km milestone demonstrates that hydrogen can be a reliable and efficient replacement for traditional diesel trucks with a longer range, shorter refuelling time, and a greater payload.”
In April this year, Kiwi company Hiringa Energy launched its hydrogen refuelling network in New Zealand, with the Wiri station in South Auckland being one of the three North Island sites now operational. Hiringa CEO Andy Clennett praised the milestone achieved by NZ Post’s truck, noting that it exemplifies New Zealand companies working together to reduce carbon emissions in the supply chain. “Hydrogen offers enormous advantages in terms of operational efficiency and productivity by allowing quick refuelling times and high productivity, a perfect match for the needs of NZ Post and their customers,” Clennett said. “We congratulate Hyundai New Zealand and NZ Post on the leadership they have shown to make this positive change a reality and look forward to many more kilometres travelled with zero emissions. This is just the beginning.”
Hiringa’s green hydrogen refuelling network includes stations in Wiri, Te Rapa, and Palmerston North, with a fourth station under construction in Tauranga. Hydrogen is produced onsite at these refuelling stations through electrolysis, where water is split into hydrogen and oxygen using renewable electricity.
Since the opening of Hiringa’s network, the NZ Post truck has typically filled up twice a day, with each refuelling taking only 15 minutes. This integration has allowed NZ Post to deliver on schedule with zero emissions.
“The timing of this milestone coincides nicely with the soon-to-be-released $30m government funding program for hybrid or zero-emission heavy vehicles,” Clennett said. “By being the first to run a FCEV truck in NZ, NZ Post has provided a real-world use case for fleet owners who might be looking to apply for grant funding under the scheme, allowing them to purchase their hydrogen fuel cell truck with confidence in its capability.”
TR Group’s Sales and Account Manager Shayne Barns commended the progress made in understanding and maximising the performance of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in New Zealand conditions. He also praised Hyundai for their support. “Hyundai did an outstanding job of setting up the truck prior to it being handed over, and support from their service network has maximised uptime with no disruptions to operations,” Barns said. “With Hiringa Energy now providing a network of hydrogen fuelling stations, we at TR are excited to partner with more companies like NZ Post that are focused on the future and ready to begin the transition to emission-free transport solutions.”