Hyundai’s autonomous hydrogen fuel cell truck makes TIME’s Best Inventions of 2025
Collaboration with Plus earns global spotlight for zero-emission heavy-duty transport
Hyundai Motor Company’s hydrogen fuel cell truck has been named one of TIME’s Best Inventions of 2025, marking a major moment for hydrogen-powered transport.
Developed in partnership with autonomous driving specialist Plus, the award-winning concept combines Hyundai’s XCIENT Fuel Cell platform with Level 4 autonomous driving technology.
A breakthrough in clean freight
Hyundai’s entry into TIME’s prestigious annual list reflects growing interest in scalable hydrogen solutions for long-haul transport.
The autonomous hydrogen fuel cell truck is based on the company’s 6×4 XCIENT platform. The XCIENT platform is powered by twin 90 kW fuel cell stacks producing up to 180 kW of continuous power.
Backed by more than 6 million kilometres of commercial driving data, the XCIENT platform has already proven itself on roads in Switzerland, Germany, Israel and South Korea.
This new prototype builds on that foundation, adding a full-stack autonomous system from Plus called SuperDrive.
The truck has already completed testing in California under real-world traffic conditions and is fully compliant with US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards.
Fast refuelling, long range, zero tailpipe emissions
The hydrogen-powered drivetrain supports a maximum gross combination weight of over 37 tonnes and can travel more than 400 kilometres on a single fill.
With hydrogen stored in high-pressure tanks, refuelling takes just 8 to 20 minutes depending on configuration. This makes it viable for time-sensitive logistics routes where battery charging may not be practical.
By using hydrogen fuel cells, the vehicle produces only water vapour at the tailpipe. Hyundai sees this as a realistic decarbonisation pathway for freight corridors, especially when combined with autonomy to improve safety, logistics efficiency and uptime.
Why it matters
TIME editors and industry experts selected the truck for its potential to “radically reduce greenhouse gas emissions from long-haul trucking.” It was featured in the “Transportation” category alongside a handful of global mobility innovations.
Hyundai says the recognition supports its HTWO strategy, which focuses on scaling hydrogen solutions across mobility, logistics, infrastructure and power generation.
“Being named to TIME’s Best Inventions is a meaningful recognition of how hydrogen fuel cell and autonomous driving technologies can work together,” said a Hyundai spokesperson. “It reinforces our commitment to commercial hydrogen applications at scale.”
What’s next for Hyundai’s hydrogen trucks?
Hyundai is already producing hydrogen fuel cell trucks for commercial use and plans to expand further into Europe, China and North America.
In 2024, the company delivered its first trucks to customers in Germany and is currently scaling production of the XCIENT platform to meet rising demand.
Autonomous features like those used in the TIME-winning concept are expected to play a key role in reducing driver workload and enhancing efficiency for fleet operators.
The company is also investing in hydrogen infrastructure and electrolysis partnerships through its HTWO business unit, with a view to building full end-to-end hydrogen logistics networks by 2030.
