Toyota and Hyundai this week introduced plans to broaden their respective U.S. hydrogen fuel-cell semi truck initiatives.

The Japanese automaker has been collaborating with truck maker PACCAR for a number of years on fuel-cell take a look at automobiles, however on Tuesday it an introduced an growth of the joint effort geared toward pushing fuel-cell vehicles towards manufacturing.

“The expanded settlement helps ongoing improvement and commercialized zero-emission variations of the Kenworth T680 and Peterbilt 579 fashions that includes Toyota’s hydrogen gas cell powertrain package,” a Toyota press launch mentioned, “with preliminary buyer deliveries deliberate for 2024.”

Each the Kenworth and Peterbilt manufacturers are a part of the PACCAR truck household.

Kenworth and Peterbilt vehicles with Toyota hydrogen fuel-cell modules

The Toyota-PACCAR mission builds on years of early efforts involving Kenworth vehicles being put to make use of in California, primarily round ports in Los Angeles and Lengthy Seashore to gauge their skill to cut back native emissions and enhance air high quality. Often called Mission Portal, this goes again to 2017.

“We’re excited to work with PACCAR to comprehend a future the place Toyota’s business main hydrogen gas cell know-how can energy heavy-duty vehicles that may journey throughout highways all through the U.S. with zero emissions,” Christopher Yang, Toyota Motor North America group vice chairman of enterprise improvement, mentioned in a press release.

The identical day as Toyota’s announcement, Hyundai debuted the model of its Xcient Gas Cell for the U.S. Hyundai in 2021 introduced plans to deliver this Class 8 truck to California for testing. The Xcient Gas Cell launched in 2020 and has already operated in Switzerland, Germany, Israel, South Korea, and New Zealand, protecting greater than 4 million miles up to now, based on a Hyundai press launch.

Hyundai Xcient Gas Cell at 2023 ACT Expor

Hyundai introduced one of many vehicles to the Superior Clear Transportation (ACT) Expo in Anaheim, California, a 6×4 tractor (with six wheels, 4 of them powered) with a pair of 90-kw fuel-cell stacks and a 350-kw electrical motor. The Xcient is not simply hydrogen-powered; as a battery buffer it packs as a lot battery capability as a GMC Hummer EV. Hyundai estimates over 450 miles of vary when totally loaded, and a gross mixed weight ranking (GCWR) of 82,000 kilos.

The discharge additionally talked about an aspiration to “foster partnerships and future companies to supply fleet operation options for hydrogen truck prospects,” together with some efforts associated to its deliberate EV “Metaplant” in Georgia, which is being constructed to supply as much as 300,000 EVs yearly, together with Hyundai, Kia, and Genesis fashions. Hyundai was mild on specifics, however there will definitely be numerous vehicles shifting out and in of a plant that enormous.

Noticeably absent from this week’s bulletins, all timed for the Superior Clear Transportation (ACT) present in Anaheim, California, was Common Motors. In 2021 the U.S. automaker introduced a joint effort with truck maker Navistar to construct and assist 2,000 long-haul hydrogen semis, every with a variety of greater than 500 miles and 15-minute refueling. On the time, Navistar mentioned take a look at automobiles would begin a pilot part by the tip of 2022, with manufacturing following in 2024.