The first hydrogen running vehicle could be available as early by the end of this year. Hyundai rolled out their debut model of the new Hyundai ix35 at the Paris Motor Show and it is the world’s first serial production hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Production is currently on schedule to begin this December and the plans are to have 1,000 out by 2015 with mass production for the worldwide market to begin after that point.
Vice Chairman Woong Chul Yang, head of Hyundai R&D was on hand to comment, “The ix35 Fuel Cell is the pinnacle of Hyundai’s advanced engineering and our most powerful commitment to be the industry leader in eco-friendly mobility. Zero-emissions cars are no longer a dream. Our ix35 Fuel Cell vehicle is here today, and ready for commercial use.”
Dr Tae Won Lim, Managing Director of fuel cell R&D added, “The mission of the Mabuk research centre is to create commercially viable, zero-emissions vehicles. The ix35 Fuel Cell achieves that goal, providing a clear choice for public and private fleets.”
The Hyundai ix35 is expected to have a range or up to 365 miles with practically zero emissions. It will go from 0 to 60 in about 12.5 seconds, so power is not something drivers should count on, but it is said that it will cruise comfortably at up to 100 miles per hour, so that doesn’t sound too shabby.
The Hyundai ix35 is built with proprietary technology including the fuel cell stack that converts hydrogen into electricity. This in turn charges a Lithium Polymer battery that keeps the vehicle’s electric motor running. This leaves water vapor as the only emission. Current reports are that drivers won’t really notice much of a difference between driving this and a regular fuel ran vehicle other than a decrease of engine noise.
Source Hyundai