The announcement was made in collaboration with Glovis America, a subsidiary of Hyundai Glovis, which is part of South Korea’s Hyundai Motor Co. In December, Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America, situated about 20 miles from Pooler, commenced operations with its fleet of Hyundai Xcient heavy-duty hydrogen fuel-cell electric trucks. The initial deployment will feature a total of 21 Xcient trucks for logistics purposes.

The Port of Savannah is a significant hub, ranking as the second-largest box gateway by volume on the East Coast and the fourth-busiest in the United States. Between July and December 2024, the port handled over 2.8 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs), marking an 11.4% increase compared to the same period the previous year. In 2023, the port recorded approximately 3 million truck pickups and drop-offs.

Scott Moe, HydroFleet’s Chief Executive, emphasized the strategic location of the Pooler facility, highlighting its accessibility to major interstates, the Port of Savannah, and potential fleet customers. “Customers are eager for zero-emission fleets, yet they face challenges in sourcing a complete hydrogen ecosystem at competitive prices,” Moe stated. “Through strategic partnerships and proven technologies, HydroFleet addresses this critical industry challenge.”

Moe expressed enthusiasm about collaborating with the city of Pooler to spearhead the transition to cost-effective, emission-free heavy truck fleets in Georgia.

HydroFleet noted that converting a single diesel-powered Class 8 heavy-duty truck to a hydrogen fuel cell truck can eliminate over 400 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions annually. With the anticipated future capacity of the Pooler facility, the hydrogen-powered fleet could potentially reduce CO2 emissions by more than 40,000 metric tons each year in the Savannah area.