Hyundai starts production of ix35 fuel cell SUV
Hyundai becomes the world's first automaker to start assembly of the hydrogen-powered zero-emissions vehicles. The white ix35 fuel cell SUV rolled off its Ulsan facility. Hyundai will be making around 1000 of these SUVs till 2015 and will lease them to private and public fleets in Europe. The Korean automaker has also started construction of hydrogen fuel stations along with a hydrogen road map. Post 2015, once hydrogen infrastructure is developed and vehicle production costs come down, Hyundai will introduce the ix35 fuel cell for consumer retail use.
Powered by hydrogen, the ix35 fuel cell vehicle has a stack which converts hydrogen to electric propulsion power, which in turn starts the vehicle's motor. The only by-product from this is water. Hyundai claims that the fuel cell vehicle gives almost the same performance as its petrol-powered cousin. Refuelling it takes the same time as a petrol or diesel car and Hyundai claims a 0-100kmph time of 12.5 seconds with a top speed of 164kmph. In one fill-up, the ix35 fuel cell can travel 594km.
How do you differentiate the fuel cell and petrol-powered ix35? The former has a new - bumper, fog lamps, radiator grille, 7-inch GPS screen, instrument cluster and Blue badging. Hyundai will display the SUV at the 2013 Geneva Auto Show.
