The Hyundai Nexo drives on

Will hydrogen remain an option for the future of car propulsion? Hyundai answers the question in the affirmative and is sticking to its fuel cell strategy with the second generation of the Nexo SUV model. The car stands out with its new design - and offers a range of up to 826 kilometers.

For many years, hydrogen was the great promise of the automotive industry. A clean energy source that can be refueled in a matter of minutes, can be used emission-free and is almost infinitely available. The euphoria has faded, but a few indomitable companies remain loyal to the technology. Hyundai, for example. The South Korean manufacturer has just unveiled the second generation of the Nexo hydrogen car.

The 4.75 meter long SUV in the edgy, chunky "Art of Steel" design - as the manufacturer calls the new design language - is a car that is as massive as it is spacious. The electric drive delivers 150 kW (204 PS), provides a torque of up to 350 Newton meters and enables a range of up to 826 kilometers. Despite a downright puny lithium-ion polymer battery with a storage capacity of just 1.56 kWh. How does it work? Fuel cell technology makes the difference.

The car is fueled with hydrogen. When the three high-pressure carbon tanks are filled with a pressure of 700 bar, almost 6.7 kilos of hydrogen are on board. Enough energy to drive from Lübeck to Munich or from Saarbrücken to Rostock. The gaseous hydrogen from the tanks reacts in a fuel cell with oxygen from the ambient air in a "cold combustion" process. This produces heat (which can be used for air conditioning), harmless water vapor (which is emitted) and - most importantly - electrical energy. This drives the electric motor acting on the front wheels and ensures the enormous range.

The additional battery on board acts as an energy store so that the vehicle can be driven off immediately after pressing the start button while the fuel cell starts up, or to provide additional energy when the electric motor requires a lot of power - for example during powerful acceleration. And finally, to absorb the energy generated during recuperation as soon as the foot is taken off the accelerator pedal. The Nexo can reach a top speed of 179 km/h, there are four driving modes to choose from and the level of recuperation can also be regulated.

So the Hyundai has a decent technology package, but the car is as pleasant and intuitive to drive as any other electric vehicle. Those interested in technology can have the respective drive mode (battery, fuel cell, recuperation) displayed on the on-board monitor, while music lovers can listen to their favorite artists - which is particularly enjoyable in the Nexo because the car rolls along extremely quietly.

The space on the rear seat bench is enormous. The trunk capacity ranges from 510 to 1630 liters, although the loading area is positioned quite high. And according to Hyudnai, for the first time in a fuel cell vehicle, a trailer coupling is available for the Nexo, to which loads of up to 1000 kilograms can be attached. As relaxed and easy on the nerves as driving the Nexo is, it can become confusing in heavy city traffic. A glance over the shoulder to the rear right provides no insight because, despite the triangular window in the wide C-pillar, nothing can be seen - apart from the headrest of the right-hand rear seat, which blocks the view out.

With the Hyundai Nexo, which is available from 69,900 euros, the South Korean car manufacturer is offering a niche model in Germany, to put it euphemistically. Last year, only 49 cars (and 172 trucks and buses) with fuel cell drive systems were newly registered in Germany. A new low in these statistics after 158 hydrogen cars in the previous year, 263 in 2023 and 835 in 2022.

In line with demand, competition among hydrogen cars is minimal. Apart from the Nexo, there is currently only one other car model with a fuel cell drive on the German market, the Toyota Mirai. The electric motor of the Toyota saloon produces 134 kW (182 hp), the tanks hold up to 5.6 kilograms of hydrogen, the range is up to 650 kilometers and the price starts at 68,490 euros. This will be joined by the BMW iX5 Hydrogen from 2028, as the Munich-based car manufacturer recently announced. BMW developed the drive technology for the SUV model in collaboration with Toyota.

Why is Hyundai sticking with hydrogen drive at all? "The car is a technology carrier for us," says a company spokesperson. Firstly, there is definitely a market for fuel cell cars, especially in South Korea, Japan and China. And secondly, Hyundai is also promoting hydrogen technology in other industrial sectors. For example, as a drive for rail vehicles in a joint project with the Czech railroad company Skoda Transportation; or in a cooperation with the port of Rotterdam, in which hydrogen technology is used for a fundamental CO2 reduction. The new Nexo shows once again that the idea works. In Germany, however, it is becoming increasingly difficult to use a fuel cell car. Of the former 100 or so filling stations for cars, only around 50 are still in operation. (aum)