Hyundai Deploys Eight XCIENT Fuel Cell Trucks for Uruguay’s Kahirós Project to Decarbonize Forestry Logistics

Hyundai delivered eight XCIENT Fuel Cell trucks to Uruguay under the Kahirós Project, a private collaboration involving Ventus, Fraylog, and Fidocar designed to replace diesel-powered logistics in the forestry industry with hydrogen-powered vehicles. Six trucks will operate as the main fleet, expected to cover around one million kilometers annually, while two additional trucks serve as backups and for scalability trials. These trucks feature two 90 kW fuel cells, a 350 kW electric motor, ten hydrogen tanks storing up to 68 kg, and a 72 kWh battery, enabling up to 720 km of range under optimal conditions.

The Kahirós Project further comprises the construction of a 4.8 MW solar park and an electrolyzer plant capable of producing 77 tons of green hydrogen annually, utilizing Uruguay’s renewable energy matrix, which already generates 99% of electricity from clean sources as of 2024. This hybrid infrastructure aims to fuel the fleet entirely with locally produced green hydrogen, ensuring a low-carbon footprint.

Financing for the $40 million project comes from Grupo Santander and received a precedent-setting $20 million loan from the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation, marking the first such funding commitment for this type of green hydrogen logistics project in the region. Hyundai’s entry into Uruguay extends its leadership in hydrogen mobility beyond Europe and North America, where it operates a combined fleet of 228 trucks through 2025, covering over 21 million kilometers.

The Kahirós initiative is positioned as a regional benchmark for sustainable heavy vehicle logistics, demonstrating the viability of hydrogen powertrains for demanding transportation needs in Latin America and reinforcing Uruguay’s role as a pioneer in renewable energy-driven decarbonization strategies.