The Hyundai ix35 Fuel Cell has driven a record distance for a hydrogen-powered production car on a single tank, covering 700 km (435 miles) across three countries.
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 car was in production-standard specification and exceeded its stated range of 594 km (369 miles), with the trip computer still indicating nearly 10 km (6 miles) of range available at the journey’s conclusion.
Frank Meijer, Head of Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle at Hyundai Motor Europe, commented: "The distance travelled by the ix35 Fuel Cell demonstrates the viability and real-world benefits of hydrogen fuel cell technology - it’s an electric vehicle with long-distance range. Hyundai Motor is the first automaker to mass-produce fuel cell vehicles, and we continue to promote the growth of Europe’s hydrogen refuelling network."
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, Hyundai 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.
