Hyundai News:Hyundai Debuts HDC-6 Neptune Truck Concept

[Drew Dowdell]

Last week we reported on a teaser that Hyundai sent out about it's upcoming hydrogen truck concept. Today, it's here.  Meet the HDC-6 Neptune, a Class-8 semi-truck that runs on hydrogen fuel cells. Hyundai says that fuel cells are a better fit for long haul driving than batteries due to the lower refueling time, higher range, and higher payload.  The styling of the concept is inspired by the Art Deco designs by Henry Dreyfuss of the New York Central railroad in the 1930s. 

The fuel cell powertrain gave Hyundai the opportunity to change the classic layout of a Class-8 truck. They took the technical requirements and found new ways to combine form and function. For example, the massive cooling requirements necessitated a grille that wrapped nearly all the way around the vehicle. Inside the grille are retractable steps up to the cab.  The combination of both cab over engine and conventional truck formats gives the Neptune gains in packaging efficiency and ergonomics. 

Hyundai plans to work with partners to pave the way for a hydrogen ecosystem specifically for commercial vehicles in the US.  In Switzerland, Hyundai is building 1,600 fuel cell heavy-duty trucks with its partner H2 Energy.

In addition to the Neptune, Hyundai introduced a concept refrigerated trailer. The trailer is virtually noiseless compared to typical diesel powered refrigerated trailers. The trailer reduces pollution and emissions.  The roof, front wall, and side walls are constructed of one-piece, structural sandwich foam panels with fiber reinforced polymer skins. The trailer is made without posts or roof bows and the entire design is lighter than a typical trailer while also increasing wall strength and enhancing thermal efficiency. 

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[Robert Hall]

Way cool...retro futuristic design...got me thinking it's time for GM to build a new Futureliner concept. 

[ccap41]

How... does it turn..? 

[David]

That is one hell of a sexy Class 8 Semi truck!

[David]

3 hours ago, ccap41 said:

How... does it turn..? 

🙄 Seriously? All cab over semi's turn the same, those front wheels and the trailer turns within the wind block walls so from the side you do not see the usual big gap. Very efficient flow of air over this sexy classy truck.

I honestly am Surprised Kenworth / Peterbuilt, a Paccar division has not come out with such a sexy truck yet. Clearly Europe lead truck maker MB has not done it.

😍

[Drew Dowdell]

I didn't realize that all of the ribbing on the side is actually functional for cooling.... that's a lot to go bad in the event of a smack up. 

[David]

1 minute ago, Drew Dowdell said:

I didn't realize that all of the ribbing on the side is actually functional for cooling.... that's a lot to go bad in the event of a smack up. 

Truck Repair job security? 🤔

[balthazar]

They’re cool looking, but it took ‘industrial appropriation’ to pull it off.

It would be simple to make a tight seal twixt tractor & trailer; make the gap concentric with the pivot point... but then it’d always have to be hyundai tractor AND trailer together.

[ccap41]

14 hours ago, dfelt said:

🙄 Seriously? All cab over semi's turn the same, those front wheels and the trailer turns within the wind block walls so from the side you do not see the usual big gap. Very efficient flow of air over this sexy classy truck.

The above picture does not insinuate a gap like there is here. It only looks about a foot of a gap in the above picture, to me.

In all fairness, the trailer on the above picture appears to be completely over the pairs of wheels as opposed to what the below picture shows. 

Edited October 30, 2019 by ccap41

[David]

On 10/30/2019 at 6:42 AM, ccap41 said:

The above picture does not insinuate a gap like there is here. It only looks about a foot of a gap in the above picture, to me.

In all fairness, the trailer on the above picture appears to be completely over the pairs of wheels as opposed to what the below picture shows. 

Wow, had not seen this pic before, but clearly this trailer is not the same as the one above. I agree that there are two different trailers being shown. 

Also in comparing the pictures the wind shield on the side goes back to the front of the first set of tires where this one is clearly much shorter. Must be playing with the differences in what makes it slip through the air the best.