It was August 2017 when Hyundai took the wraps off the Next Generation FCEV. And although the automaker calls the eco-friendly crossover a concept, the FCEV is as close to production as possible according to spy photos of pre-production prototypes.
Down to the design of the alloy wheels, side mirrors, and retractable door handles, just about everything you see on the Next Generation FCEV Concept is coming to the production model, including the Kona-influenced face. Something that Hyundai didn’t mention back in August is the name of the fuel cell electric crossover, but that will change at the Consumer Electronics Show.
Joining the Kia Niro EV Concept on the stage, the Hyundai Next Generation FCEV will debut “new Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) technologies.” Introduced by the Elantra back in 2015, ADAS charts the path toward low-cost full autonomy. Hyundai expects to roll out Level 4 autonomous vehicles by 2021, having signed a deal with Aurora for the ongoing development of hardware, software, and data services.
“We know the future of transportation is autonomous, and autonomous driving technology needs to be proven in the real-world to accelerate deployment in a safe and scalable manner,” declared Woong Chul Yang, vice chairman of Hyundai. Considering the all-new Audi A8 features Level 3 autonomy, it won’t be long until Level 4 reaches the mainstream.
In regard to numbers, Hyundai promises 20 percent more horsepower from the newcomer as compared to the Tucson/ix35-based FCEV. The powertrain’s efficiency level is also up (by 9 percent), as is the driving range (800 kilometers or 497 miles on the New European Driving Cycle).
This is the first of two fuel cell electric vehicles Hyundai will launch by 2020, just one of 28 hybrid and electric vehicles the South Korean automaker will introduce by decade’s end. But before the Next Generation FCEV comes on the scene, the all-new Kona EV will go official in the first half of 2018.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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