Hyundai offers UK’s first hydrogen fuel cell vehicle

Hyundai has launched the ix35 Hydrogen Fuel Cell vehicle to customers in the UK, a project backed by the Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU). The ix35 Fuel Cell can travel more than 350 miles in real-world driving conditions before refuelling, a similar process to a petrol or diesel vehicle.

Making the announcement, the president and chief executive of Hyundai Motor UK, Tony Whitehorn, commented: “Making the first UK customer deliveries of hydrogen-powered cars is a huge landmark for the industry. Hyundai is the first company in the world to start series production of a fuel cell vehicle and is committed to rolling out this technology in line with government plans to grow the refuelling infrastructure.”

The arrival of ix35 Fuel Cell vehicles follows a pledge by UK Business Minister Matthew Hancock to invest £11m (~€13.9m) of UK Government and industry money to support hydrogen transport. The funding aims to expand the nationwide hydrogen refuelling station network, boost consumer confidence and increase the uptake of fuel cell vehicles.

The Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell vehicle was chosen by the FCH JU to demonstrate the benefits of hydrogen fuel cell technology to EU policy makers. Hyundai is part of a number of collaborative projects promoting the adoption of fuel cell vehicles in the UK, including ‘Hydrogen For Innovative Vehicles’ (HyFIVE). Hyundai is also a supplier to HyTEC, which, alongside HyFIVE, is funded by the FCH JU.