HYUNDAI NEXO 2018 – Present

And NEXO also debuts Hyundai’s Remote Smart Parking Assist (RSPA) which enables the thing to autonomously park or retrieve itself from a parking space with or without a driver in the vehicle.

Yang describes the Nexo as matching the performance and driving range of conventional petrol and diesel-powered SUVs, proving the technology is a viable solution for the future.

Three new ballistic carbon-fiber-wrapped hydrogen storage tanks store 52.2 liters of hydrogen each and package more easily below the floor than did the Tucson’s two tanks, sized for 37 and 103 liters.

The sprawling Consumer Electronics Show is increasingly a showcase for advanced-technology and zero-emission vehicles, and the Korean maker used it to show its production-ready hydrogen SUV ahead of next week’s Detroit auto show. Hyundai Motor Company has already taken a lead in hydrogen technology with introduction of ix35 fuel cell.

The upgraded fuel cell stack and battery can feed a more powerful motor, which now makes 161bhp, up from 134. “For example, very long distance vehicles, SUVs or commercial vehicles – hydrogen is much more beneficial, city vehicles for 100-200km, an electric vehicle is more beneficial than hydrogen”, Kis-ang said. A hydrogen fuel cell vehicle can provide a stable and sufficient amount of electrical power, without any impact on its range.

By the numbers, Hyundai says the new fuel-cell and battery system is rated at a total of 135 kilowatts, up from 124 in the Tucson. It is created to be able to start in cold weather – below minus 29 degrees Celsius. While the design is modern and inspired by Hyundai’s latest products such as the Kona (especially the bug-eyed face), it’s the improved fuel cell powertrain that steals the show.

Hyundai has been part of the handful of automakers pushing fuel cell electric vehicles for years now. “In a matter of minutes you can have full power”, he says”. These numbers add up to acceleration that’s almost 25% better than the Tucson FCEV.

Of course, fueling up with hydrogen is still a tricky business. Hyundai says the onboard tank farm doesn’t intrude on interior space, claiming the space inside matches that of a gasoline-powered equivalent CUV.

“We are not competing with Toyota and the Mirai – we are working together with Toyota”, he said. One of the major events organized by Hyundai was the release of Nexo.

Hyundai, in collaboration with Toyota, has formed the global hydrogen council which aims to promote and encourage other companies to participate in the deployment of hydrogen vehicles and infrastructure globally.