Hydrogen power takes centre stage in Hyundai CE’s latest excavator concept

Hyundai Construction Equipment showed the pre-production concept of its HW155H hydrogen-fuel-cell-powered wheeled excavator on display at bauma 2025. The machine is meant to demonstrate how hydrogen can contribute to future carbon-free operation on construction sites. 

What are hydrogen fuel cells? 

A hydrogen fuel cell uses a chemical reaction between hydrogen that is carried on board and oxygen in the atmosphere, to generate electricity, with the only emission being water vapour. The fuel cell delivers power on demand to drive the machine, either through electric motors, or via electrically driven hydraulic pumps.

The project to develop a fuel cell for the HW155H has been a cooperation between Hyundai Construction Equipment and Hyundai Motor Company, which has a range of powertrain solutions available in the passenger car and utility vehicle markets. The HW155H is equipped with a single fuel cell, with a maximum output of 90kW. The machine uses the fuel cell to power an electric motor that then drives the hydraulic system. 

Hydrogen is an inherently safe fuel, with an auto-ignition temperature that is higher than gasoline or diesel. Because it's 14 times lighter than air, it also disperses harmlessly into the atmosphere. Hyundai has developed a world-first, innovative low-pressure hydrogen storage solution that offers high density storage for extended operating autonomy. The hydrogen storage on-board has the capacity for 12 hours of operation.

This feature will make the use of hydrogen an acceptable solution for infrastructure, civil engineering, and building projects across the world. Hyundai's high-density, metal hydride storage system doubles the capacity of a conventional hydrogen tank, using a considerably lower filling pressure. The solid hydrogen storage system is installed within the excavator in place of the machine's counterweight, optimising space within the upper structure and improving safety on site.