Leading German Parcel Service Successfully Deploys Allison Transmission-Equipped Hyundai Hydrogen Fuel Cell Truck

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Aug 27, 2024, 08:30 ET

GLS Germany covers 30,000 kilometers delivering 100,000 packages with an Allison-equipped Hyundai Xcient hydrogen fuel cell truck.

INDIANAPOLIS, Aug. 27, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Allison Transmission is pleased to announce that GLS, a global shipping leader, has successfully completed 30,000 kilometers in its evaluation of the Allison-equipped Hyundai Xcient hydrogen fuel cell truck in Germany. Since late 2023, GLS Germany has delivered over 100,000 packages with the Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell 6x2 truck equipped with an Allison 4000 Series™ fully automatic transmission in the greater Cologne area. Additionally, since March 2024, the truck has been used for long-distance trips between Cologne and Mannheim. For the Europe-wide parcel service, this hydrogen truck trial is a further step in the testing of environmentally friendly propulsion technologies in everyday logistics.

Since late 2023, GLS Germany has delivered over 100,000 packages with the Hyundai Xcient Fuel Cell 6x2 truck equipped with an Allison 4000 Series™ fully automatic transmission in the greater Cologne area.

The three-axle vehicle is powered by an 180 kW hydrogen fuel cell system with two 90 kW fuel cell units. The 350 kW electric motor is coupled with an Allison 4000 Series™ transmission.

A Hyundai Xcient hydrogen fuel cell truck with an Allison 4500 R fully automatic transmission has been part of the GLS Germany parcel service fleet since the end of 2023.

"We are open to new technologies and want to explore the various options. The main thing for us is that it works," said Oualid Hamza, Operations Manager, GLS. "The vehicle itself works well. There have been no problems or breakdowns."

The three-axle vehicle with a steered rear axle, which can transport up to 1,300 parcels per trip, is powered by a 180-kilowatt (241 horsepower) hydrogen fuel cell system with two 90-kilowatt fuel cell units. The two fuel cell units feed a 350-kilowatt electric motor (2,237 newton-meters), which is coupled with an Allison fully automatic transmission for fast acceleration without loss of tractive power.

"It is great how agile the truck is and how easily and precisely it can be maneuvered thanks to the automatic transmission," said Gero Liebig, Regional Manager, GLS. "The truck is really fun to drive. It is almost as quiet as an electric vehicle, which means that night deliveries are possible at any time, even in populated areas. That gives us flexibility."

Allison's patented torque converter multiplies the drive motor's torque at startup, allowing the Xcient to operate with a smaller and less powerful drive motor, maximizing range and efficiency and helping to reduce vehicle costs.

"This pioneering integration exemplifies Allison's alternative fuel advantage. Our fuel-agnostic conventional transmissions are engineered to integrate seamlessly with varying fuel types, positioning Allison for continued success with eco-conscious transportation solutions," said Heidi Schutte, Vice President of EMEA, APAC and South America Sales, Allison Transmission. "Allison takes pride in offering a diverse array of propulsion solutions, from conventional to electric hybrid and fully electric systems, to help our customers meet their sustainability goals and to provide the power of choice."

To learn more about why leading fleets around the world select Allison fully automatic transmissions, visit allisontransmission.com.

About Allison Transmission
Allison Transmission (NYSE: ALSN) is a leading designer and manufacturer of propulsion solutions for commercial and defense vehicles and the largest global manufacturer of medium- and heavy-duty fully automatic transmissions that Improve the Way the World Works. Allison products are used in a wide variety of applications, including on-highway trucks (distribution, refuse, construction, fire and emergency), buses (school, transit and coach), motorhomes, off-highway vehicles and equipment (energy, mining and construction applications) and defense vehicles (tactical wheeled and tracked). Founded in 1915, the company is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. With a presence in more than 150 countries, Allison has regional headquarters in the Netherlands, China and Brazil, manufacturing facilities in the USA, Hungary, and India, as well as global engineering resources, including electrification engineering centers in Indianapolis, Indiana, Auburn Hills, Michigan and London in the United Kingdom. Allison also has approximately 1,600 independent distributor and dealer locations worldwide. For more information, visit allisontransmission.com.

About GLS
The GLS Group is one of the largest independent parcel service providers in Europe with a strong local presence in almost every country on the continent. The company also works with subsidiaries in Canada and on the West Coast of the USA. This enables GLS to seamlessly supply customers and partners with millions of parcels every day. In the 2023/24 financial year, the GLS Group generated a record turnover of 5.6 billion euros. Over 905 million parcels were operated in around 40 countries. GLS was originally founded in Germany in 1989 as "German Parcel" and GLS Germany is still the GLS Group's top-selling country. Almost 10,000 employees work here and a similar number at the transport partners in local and long-distance transport.

SOURCE Allison Transmission Holdings Inc.