Photo: Hyundai
Hyundai was not the first company to launch a fuel cell vehicle, but it's doing good work with the NEXO. After proving its autonomous capabilities, the Korean manufacturer set another record by traveling 609 kilometers on a single tank of fuel.
That's 378 miles, easily beating the Honda Clarity and Toyota Mirai. Filling the tank on this sexy-looking SUV takes only 5 minutes, and you apparently get the same kind of range as in a regular car, so it's like combining the best parts of an EV and internal combustion engine.
Of course, this is all tied together with the Olympics, providing Hyundai with a considerable marketing boom. Throughout February, visitors to PyeonChang will have the opportunity to experience all five vehicles that completed the world-first journey. Also, four third-generation safety-amplified fuel cell electric buses will transport passengers in Gangneung.
We think Hyundai was gunning for this record from the start because while regular cars have one fuel tank, this one has three which each hold 52.2 liters (13.7 gallons) of hydrogen. Best of all, refueling takes only 5 minutes, and in that time, an EV would just get about 50 kilometers of range on the best chargers.
This fuel is then converted into electricity for the 163 horsepower, 395 Nm (291 lb-ft) electric motor. Performance isn't mental, but it will still reach 100 km/h in 9.2 seconds and tops out at 179 km/h (111 mph). It's also more practical than the ix35 FCV that it replaces, thanks to a 150mm-longer wheelbase.
The styling is cool, both inside and out. NEXO is what Hyundai calls a Future Utility Vehicle and has been designed from the ground up as an SUV. It's not too crazy but still looks like it could teach the Germans a thing or two.
Obviously, the NEXO will have an insufficient impact on the environment, since hydrogen fuel isn't available in most places. But Hyundai is proving that it really cares about the environment by making it accessible in America, Europe, and Asia later this year.
Of course, this is all tied together with the Olympics, providing Hyundai with a considerable marketing boom. Throughout February, visitors to PyeonChang will have the opportunity to experience all five vehicles that completed the world-first journey. Also, four third-generation safety-amplified fuel cell electric buses will transport passengers in Gangneung.
We think Hyundai was gunning for this record from the start because while regular cars have one fuel tank, this one has three which each hold 52.2 liters (13.7 gallons) of hydrogen. Best of all, refueling takes only 5 minutes, and in that time, an EV would just get about 50 kilometers of range on the best chargers.
This fuel is then converted into electricity for the 163 horsepower, 395 Nm (291 lb-ft) electric motor. Performance isn't mental, but it will still reach 100 km/h in 9.2 seconds and tops out at 179 km/h (111 mph). It's also more practical than the ix35 FCV that it replaces, thanks to a 150mm-longer wheelbase.
The styling is cool, both inside and out. NEXO is what Hyundai calls a Future Utility Vehicle and has been designed from the ground up as an SUV. It's not too crazy but still looks like it could teach the Germans a thing or two.
Obviously, the NEXO will have an insufficient impact on the environment, since hydrogen fuel isn't available in most places. But Hyundai is proving that it really cares about the environment by making it accessible in America, Europe, and Asia later this year.
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