SEOUL, South Korea — Hyundai’s second-generation Nexo hydrogen fuel cell crossover bests its predecessor in almost every way — more range and power, expanded interior space, quicker acceleration, even towing capability. Not to mention arguably better looks.
South Korea’s biggest automaker pulled the wraps on the Nexo April 3 at the Seoul Mobility Show, saying it will land in global markets this year.
The new Nexo’s styling links directly to the Initium concept vehicle Hyundai Motor Co. unveiled in October as a vision for its next-generation fuel cell vehicle. The production version shares the same “Art of Steel” design language, emphasizing the malleability of metal for artistic body styling.
And under all the fresh sheet metal, the Nexo gets an even bigger overhaul.
The reengineered hydrogen fuel cell and power electronics system boost overall output to 190 kilowatts from 135 kilowatts in the first generation. The power output of the vehicle’s 2.64-kilowatt-hour battery, meanwhile, has doubled to 80 kW. The improvements enable the new Nexo to accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 7.8 seconds, from 9.2 seconds before.
The hydrogen stack delivers total output of 110 kW, up 15 percent, and the electric motor is upgraded to 150 kW, from 120 kW in the first edition, which went on sale in 2018.
Because the new Nexo is longer, wider and taller, it offers more head and shoulder room, as well as more cargo space. The hydrogen tank can also store more fuel than the previous Nexo.
Nexo’s fuel cell system delivers big power boost
Hyundai is also pitching the Nexo’s premium features and advanced technologies, such as an artificial intelligence-powered digital assistant, as the company solidifies its spot as a global leader in hydrogen technology and positions the systems as a pillar of its carbon-neutrality strategy.
The second-generation Nexo receives Hyundai’s updated hydrogen fuel cell system, as hydrogen competitors such as Honda and Toyota work on their own fuel cell updates.
Last year, Honda began delivering a new fuel cell version of the CR-V crossover. The CR-V e:FCEV, sold only in California, is the first to use Honda’s second-generation fuel cell module, co-developed with General Motors and assembled at a joint venture facility in Michigan.
And in February, Honda announced a next-generation fuel cell system that achieves double the durability and triple the volumetric power density at half the cost of the unit built with GM. Honda said power of the upcoming setup is rated at 150 kW, up from 78 kW in the current one.
Hyundai says the interior of the new Nexo hydrogen fuel cell crossover gets high-tech appointments such as a sweeping digital screen and premium flourishes such as quilted paneling.
Also in February, Toyota unveiled the third generation of its fuel cell system, a technology with improved durability and efficiency for a 20 percent increase in range, as the Japanese carmaker targets expanded deployment to trucks, buses and other heavy-duty applications.
Hyundai gives a range of 435 miles for the Nexo, though that figure is calculated using the Korean Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy standard and is not directly comparable with EPA ratings. It compares with the 380-mile range in the previous Nexo.
The new Nexo will be able to refill its tank in five minutes, Hyundai said. The European-market model, it added, will offer towing capacity of up to 2,200 pounds.
Hyundai’s history in hydrogen stretches back 27 years
Hyundai says it engineered the Nexo to achieve top safety ratings in major global safety assessment programs. It gets up to nine airbags and Hyundai’s latest driver-assist technologies, which include a forward collision avoidance feature and remote smart-parking assistance.
Like Hyundai’s pure electric vehicles, the Nexo will also offer vehicle-to-load power supply capability, enabling people to plug in and power home appliances from the vehicle.
Also on tap is an in-vehicle fingerprint identification system that allows people to operate the audio, visual, navigation and telematics systems with the swipe of a finger and securely authenticate electronic payments on the go. It also enables keyless powertrain start with a fingerprint.
The latest interation builds on Hyundai’s 27 years of working with hydrogen. The company’s first-generation mass-produced hydrogen vehicle, the Tucson ix35 Fuel Cell EV, debuted in 2013.
The second-generation Nexo gets up to nine airbags and Hyundai’s latest driver-assist technologies, which include a forward collision avoidance feature and remote smart-parking assistance.
Hyundai sold only 983 Tucson ix35 Fuel Cell EVs worldwide from its launch until 2023. But from 2018 through last autumn, it sold 39,785 Nexos. Sales tapered off last year in anticipation of the successor model. Retail deliveries dwindled to 4,690 vehicles in 2023, from 11,157 in 2022.
Along with the Nexo, the Toyota Mirai sedan is one of the few fuel cell light vehicles sold in the U.S. Neither has been a big seller. In 2023, Toyota sold 2,737 Mirais in the U.S., while Hyundai sold 241 Nexos, according to the Automotive News Research & Data Center.
Last year, those deliveries dropped to 499 and 94, respectively.
Rivals are developing hydrogen fuel cells
In 2021, Hyundai Motor Group doubled down on its bet that hydrogen is the wave of the future, unveiling a bold plan for rolling out fuel cell technology in everything from sports cars to commercial trucks and drones while targeting price parity with battery-electric vehicles by 2030.
The blueprint spelled out Hyundai’s ambition to popularize hydrogen power for “everyone, everything and everywhere” by 2040, not only in cars and trucks, but in public transport, industry, infrastructure and homes. It envisions hydrogen for use in forklifts, trains, air mobility and beyond.
A relatively small group of global players are seriously investing in hydrogen powertrains, with Hyundai, Toyota, Honda and GM leading the pack. BMW is also rolling out new fuel cell plans.
Some companies are leaning on partnerships for volume and shared costs. In September, Hyundai said it would team with GM to explore joint development of hydrogen powertrains.
That partnership is blossoming while GM’s earlier work with Honda seems to be ending.
In February, Honda said it wasn’t working with GM on its next-generation hydrogen system and would develop that technology by itself. Honda wants to start manufacturing that system in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2028, at a plant being built in Japan.
The factory will have capacity for 30,000 fuel cell systems a year, Honda said.
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