Hyundai to Ship Up to 100 Xcient Tractors to US in 2026
New 450-Mile Range Truck Targets Fleets Seeking Zero-Emission Options
Key Takeaways:
- Hyundai Translead plans to ship 50 to 100 Xcient Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell tractors to the U.S. in 2026 after being named official distributor of Hyundai Motor Co.’s model.
- The rollout comes as Hyundai remains the only active supplier of Class 8 hydrogen trucks in North America following bankruptcies and delays among rivals amid weak freight and policy support.
- Hyundai Translead will expand dealer access in early 2026 and continue production in South Korea as it builds infrastructure support and eyes growth beyond 2027.
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Hyundai Translead expects to ship as many as 100 Xcient Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell tractors to the U.S. in 2026 for deployment by commercial fleets, a company representative said.
Hyundai Translead — broadly known as a trailer manufacturer — was named the official distributor of Hyundai Motor Co.’s Xcient tractor on Oct. 26.
The trucks have been available for order in the U.S. and Canada since July. The company expects between 50 and 100 to reach the U.S. next year, and forecasts that number to grow in 2027 and beyond, a spokeswoman said in an email.
Hyundai is currently the only truck manufacturer supplying Class 8 hydrogen fuel cell tractors in North America after other companies in the segment either delayed serial production or filed for bankruptcy. Vehicle demand and hydrogen ecosystem investment waned over the past 12 months as fleets’ spending power shrank amid a freight rate recession that has extended longer than most expected. Also hurting the segment are the Trump administration’s moves to nix many avenues of federal support for alternate fuel powertrains and infrastructure.
To help advance the Xcient model’s rollout, Hyundai Translead has established a dedicated infrastructure support team, the spokeswoman said.
“Hyundai Translead will have units readily available to meet more immediate demands. Additionally, the Xcient will be accessible through our expanding network of dealers starting in the first quarter of 2026,” the spokeswoman told Transport Topics.
To help advance the Xcient model’s rollout, Hyundai Translead has established a dedicated infrastructure support team. (Hyundai Motor Co.)
Lead times for customers will generally range between three and four months, depending on plant backlog, she added.
The tractors will continue to be built at Hyundai’s Jeonju plant in South Korea.
More than 250 Xcient fuel cell trucks are on the road globally.
“Our focus is on delivering more integrated and flexible transportation solutions that empower our customers and advance the industry,” Hyundai Translead CEO Sean Kenney said in comments accompanying an announcement.
“We’re not only improving operational efficiency and enabling the use of advanced technologies, but we’re also building a more cohesive approach that opens the door to future possibilities,” Kenney added.
San Diego-based Hyundai Translead manufactures dry and refrigerated van trailers, flatbeds, truck bodies, chassis and dollies in the U.S.
Model Overhaul
Hyundai unveiled the latest iteration of the Xcient at the 2025 Advanced Clean Transportation Expo in April, revamping the powertrain, safety systems and driver comforts.
The latest 180-kilowatt powertrain uses two 90-kW fuel cell stacks but retains a 72-kilowatt-hour battery pack and a 350-kW e-motor from the first-generation system. The updated system was tailored to the North American market, Hyundai said, and offers a maximum range of 450 miles. The first-generation system deployed two 95-kW fuel cell stacks.
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Inside, a 12.3-inch digital instrument cluster and a touchscreen infotainment system of the same size have been added. The latest version also ships with safety features typically found on modern tractors, such as forward collision-avoidance assist, lane departure warning, smart cruise control and blind-spot collision warning.
The Xcient was launched in 2020 and began operations in the U.S. in September 2023 through the NorCAL ZERO Project at the Port of Oakland. Hyundai expanded its use in October 2024 at the Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America in Georgia. Xcients carry out about 40% of the metaplant’s total logistics. The 21 tractors use hydrogen produced at the $5 billion electric-vehicle battery cell manufacturing plant.
Globally, the Xcient is deployed in 13 countries.
Peers Exit
Hyundai is effectively launching into a wide-open commercial playing field after what has been a bruising year for hydrogen fuel cell trucks.
Kenworth’s hydrogen fuel cell T680 tractors did not begin production in 2025 as previously announced. Kenworth Chief Engineer Joe Adams told reporters April 8 that the Paccar unit is evaluating when production of the Toyota fuel cell-powered tractor will begin. He noted that Kenworth is still calibrating the tractor and making sure the appropriate refueling infrastructure will be in place. It also wants to make sure the truck will be profitable, Adams said during a tour of the Paccar Technical Center in Mount Vernon, Wash.
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At the same time production of the fuel cell T680 was expected to begin, Paccar stablemate Peterbilt was set to begin production of a fuel cell configuration of its flagship Model 579 on-highway tractor.
Plans for a 2025 start to serial production were unveiled at the 2023 Advanced Clean Transportation Expo by Paccar Chief Technology Officer John Rich.
Early fuel cell developer Nikola filed for bankruptcy protection Feb. 19 after spending months searching for a partner or backer to bankroll additional funds.
Hyzon closed its doors in February too, less than six months after beginning serial production of its Class 8 tractor. Like Nikola, Hyzon ran into cash flow problems.
