Hyundai’s Tucson FCEV was ahead of its time when it was introduced in 2005, reaching the finish line before Japanese heavy hitters Toyota and Honda rolled out their hydrogen-powered cars for the first time - the Mirai and FCX Clarity, respectively.
It was arguably a rushed job compared to the other two, with Hyundai cutting development time significantly by using an existing car rather than the ‘from scratch’ approach of the rest. Now, though, at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show, the Korean automaker has unveiled the FE Fuel Cell Concept - a ground-up hydrogen fuel cell SUV.
Yes, it’s still very much a concept right now and should there be a production roadmap in place, should be at least a year or two away from showrooms. The FE, which stands for ‘Future Eco’, sits on an all-new platform specifically developed for these new type of propulsion.
Like a fully electric car, the bulk of an internal combustion engine that informed the shape of cars today is nullified, allowing for better aerodynamics and more innovative use of space. Though, to make the FE Fuel Cell concept has easy a pill to swallow, Hyundai hasn’t tried anything particularly radical with its exterior aside from the sleeker profile and radiator-less front end, an approach different to the one, say, Toyota took with the Mirai.
According to company, the design was informed by the flow of water, which is the only substance emitted from a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle during operation. That said, the fuel cell stack itself is said to be a major improvement over the Tucson’s, boasting 30 percent greater energy density that can theoretically propel it over 800km on a full tank of hydrogen.
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