Hyundai Motor and Plus Unveil Concept for Autonomous Hydrogen Freight Ecosystem at ACT Expo 2025

The collaboration pairs Hyundai Motor's hydrogen-powered XCIENT Fuel Cell truck with Plus's AI-based autonomous driving software, SuperDrive™, proposing a scalable and cost-effective solution to long-haul freight that aims to reduce the carbon footprint of commercial transportation.

Jim Park, Senior Vice President of Commercial Vehicle and Hydrogen Business Development at Hyundai Motor North America, said: "Hyundai Motor believes in a sustainable future powered by advanced fuel cell technologies. We hope to continue our partnership with Plus to add autonomous driving capabilities to XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks in the future and provide our fleet operator customers with additional solutions that improve road safety and freight efficiency. The concept shared today shows why we value this partnership and the vision for what autonomous hydrogen fuel cell trucks can deliver."

David Liu, CEO and Co-Founder of Plus, added: "Autonomous hydrogen fuel cell trucks are a transformative step forward in sustainable freight. By combining self-driving and zero-tailpipe emission technologies, we are laying the groundwork for a cleaner, more efficient transportation system that meets the demands of today and the needs of tomorrow. We are excited to showcase a concept for the sustainable future we expect to create with innovation-driven partners like Hyundai Motor."

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A Scalable Pathway to Hydrogen Freight

In the concept video, Hyundai Motor and Plus outline a practical framework for deploying autonomous hydrogen fuel cell trucks along high-utilization hub-to-hub routes. The approach focuses on:

• Initial deployment across major freight corridors to build early momentum
  
• Stimulating demand for strategically placed hydrogen refueling stations
  
• Expanding infrastructure to support a growing fleet and wider hydrogen use
  
• Reinforcing scalability, as new routes drive further infrastructure investment and adoption

Autonomous hydrogen fuel cell trucks offer zero-tailpipe emissions, fast refueling, long driving range, quieter operation, and reduced maintenance. These features position Hyundai Motor's XCIENT Fuel Cell truck as an ideal candidate for continuous long-haul transport, particularly as the hydrogen ecosystem matures.

The video illustrates how this infrastructure can be built out incrementally, with each added delivery route increasing network efficiency and economic viability – benefiting not only autonomous trucks, but also other hydrogen-powered vehicles. Over time, this blueprint envisions a self-reinforcing cycle of vehicle adoption, infrastructure development, and lower operational costs per unit.

About Hyundai Motor Company

Established in 1967, Hyundai Motor Company is present in over 200 countries with more than 120,000 employees dedicated to tackling real-world mobility challenges around the globe. Based on the brand vision 'Progress for Humanity,' Hyundai Motor is accelerating its transformation into a Smart Mobility Solution Provider. The company invests in advanced technologies such as robotics and Advanced Air Mobility (AAM) to bring about revolutionary mobility solutions while pursuing open innovation to introduce future mobility services. In pursuit of a sustainable future for the world, Hyundai will continue its efforts to introduce zero-emission vehicles with industry-leading hydrogen fuel cell and EV technologies.

More information about Hyundai Motor and its products can be found at:
https://www.hyundai.com/worldwide/en/ or Newsroom: Media Hub by Hyundai

About Plus

Plus is a pioneering autonomous trucking AI software company delivering safe and scalable factory-built autonomous trucks globally. Headquartered in Silicon Valley with operations in the United States and Europe, Plus has over 500 global patents and was named by Fast Company as one of the World's Most Innovative Companies. Partners including TRATON GROUP's Scania, MAN, and international brands, Hyundai Motor Company, Iveco Group, Bosch, and DSV are working with Plus to accelerate the deployment of next-generation autonomous trucks.