by Kyle Molyneux | Wed 26 Oct 2022
Hyundai HW155H concept with hydrogen fuel cell
Hyundai Construction Equipment has shown a HW155H wheeled excavator concept at the bauma 2022 exhibition. The machine is equipped with a hydrogen fuel cell, providing the electrical power to operate the machine with zero tailpipe emissions.
Hyundai Construction Equipment has been developing a hydrogen fuel cell-powered driveline since 2020, when it signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Hyundai Motors and with specialist division Hyundai Mobis, at its Mabuk Research Centre in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do. Together, the three companies have committed to develop hydrogen fuel cells to power forklifts and medium/large excavators over the coming years.
Unlike a diesel-powered wheeled excavator, the hydrogen machine has a fuel cell mounted in the rear of the upperstructure. The fuel cell relies on a chemical reaction between the stored hydrogen and oxygen that is present in the air. The fuel cell stack generates electrical energy from this reaction, with an inverter converting this energy into usable electrical power. This is used to drive the hydraulic pump, to power the machine in the normal way.
The only emission from the fuel cell stack is water, a combination of the hydrogen and oxygen. When that hydrogen is produced using renewable energy, such as off-shore wind, this creates an incredibly low carbon powertrain. For the excavator, the hydrogen is stored on the right-hand side of the machine, opposite the operator’s cab, in high-pressure tanks.
This proven technology is already in use in the Nexo fuel cell passenger car. The car uses Hyundai Motors’ second-generation fuel cell, which is smaller, lighter and stronger than the original seen in the ix35 car. This highly productive fuel cell delivers a world-beating system efficiency of 60%, with a fuel consumption of 0.95kg of H2 per 100km driven, providing the Nexo with a driving range of up to 666km (414 miles, WLTP). Yet, refuelling takes a matter of minutes, rather than the hours required to recharge a full battery electric vehicle.
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