Hyundai Motor’s ix35 Fuel Cell has driven a record distance for a hydrogen-powered production car on a single tank, covering 700 kilometres across three countries. The economy drive was conducted by independent Norwegian non-profit eco-pioneers Marius Bornstein and Arnt G. Hartvig. The ix35 Fuel Cell, the world’s first mass-production fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV), was driven between Oslo (Norway) and Malmö (Sweden) via Gothenburg (Sweden) and Copenhagen (Denmark). The journey took 10 hours to complete, at an average speed of 76 km/h, taking in city and highway driving.
The pioneering vehicle was in production-standard specification, and exceeded its stated range of 594 kilometres, with the trip computer still indicating nearly 10 kilometres of range available at the journey’s conclusion.
As part of the Hydrogen For Innovative Vehicles (HyFIVE) initiative, recently established to grow Europe’s refuelling infrastructure, a hydrogen station was opened in Malmö in June 2014. As part of HyFIVE, 110 fuel-cell vehicles from five manufacturers will be delivered to customers across Europe, including 75 from Hyundai.
The Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell is the latest model from a development programme that began in 1998, and continues at the company’s dedicated fuel cell research centre at its Eco Technology Research Institute in Korea. In January 2013 the company became the world’s first automaker to begin mass production of zero-emission, hydrogen-powered vehicles, underlining its position as a world-leader in the development of fuel cell technology.
