Under the deal with Hyundai Translead, Hendrickson will act as a commercial vehicle dealer in New York and New Jersey, offering sales, servicing, and infrastructure support for South Korean OEM’s Xcient Fuel Cell trucks.

The announcement did not specify the number of trucks that are likely to be rolled out by the deal, nor the details on the supporting hydrogen infrastructure.

However, Hendrickson’s Vice-President of EV Strategy, Chance Parker, said the deal represented a “game-changing commitment to decarbonising more fleet operations in the NYC metro area and beyond.”

Unlike the comparative US hydrogen mobility hotspot in California, the East Coast’s hydrogen mobility ecosystem is highly limited.

According to the US Department of Energy, there are no operating hydrogen refuelling stations in the US beyond 46 in California and two lone stations in the states of Hawaii and Texas.

However, over the years, there have been several small-scale hydrogen-powered bus fleet deployments in New York.

The state also provides incentives for hydrogen fuel cell trucks and buses, including “vehicle purchase vouchers” for up to 95% of the incremental cost, up to $215,000 for trucks.

This deal follows Hyundai’s deployment of a 21-truck Xcient fleet to carry parts to its battery factory in Georgia, under a partnership with California-based logistics firm Glovis Americas.