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Audi Fuel Cell SUV to Launch Next Decade Courtesy of Hyundai

Despite repeated claims that battery-electric vehicles are the best way to go in the coming decades, a number of carmakers have announced plans to expand their efforts into the development of other alternative means of propulsion.
Hyundai Nexo tech to spawn Audi fuel cell SUV 1 photo
Photo: Hyundai
Audi is the last in line to do so, after it announced on Wednesday it will be working together with South Korean company Hyundai for the creation of new fuel cell technology.

The goal is to make this alternative mean of propulsion a reality faster and cheaper than it would usually take. Hyundai has been researching this technology for some time now, and its willingness to share its discoveries with Audi will place the Volkswagen group on par with BMW and Daimler, both already producing fuel cell cars vor various purposes.

The extent of the collaboration between the two carmaker has not been detailed, but Audi said the two companies would share patent cross-licensing.

It's not clear what Hyundai would get out of this partnership, as it already has a working Nexo fuel cell SUV. On the other hand, despite bragging that it has been working on fuel cell technology for the better part of the last 20 years, Audi so far it failed to launch a true production version of such a vehicle.

The first Audi model to make use of the tech developed with Hyundai would be a full-sized SUV which the Germans say they would launch in the first part of the next decade. It’s likely the SUV in question would be the hydrogen version of the e-tron that would be launched later this year.

“The fuel cell is the most systematic form of electric driving and thus a potent asset in our technology portfolio for the emission-free premium mobility of the future,” said in a statement Peter Mertens, Audi’s head of development.

“On our FCEV roadmap, we are joining forces with strong partners such as Hyundai. For the breakthrough of this sustainable technology, cooperation is the smart way to leading innovations with attractive cost structures.”
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About the author: Daniel Patrascu
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Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies.
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