Hyundai is preparing to radically reinvent its hydrogen-fuelled Nexo SUV for a second generation as it doubles down on the viability of fuel cell powertrains.
A prototype for the new FCEV has been spotted testing on public roads in Europe, revealing it to be a radical departure from the styling of the existing model.
It follows in the footsteps of the combustion-engined Santa Fe in becoming much boxier, with a bluff front end and pixel-like headlights. It sits closer to the ground, however, and lacks its bigger sibling’s swollen arches.
This prototype is missing its rear light housings, but others have been spotted in Korea with distinctive plus-shaped covers.
Under the skin, the Mk2 Nexo is expected to represent a significant upgrade on the original. That car features three 52-litre hydrogen tanks, a 95kW fuel cell stack and a 1.56kWh battery, yielding a range of 414 miles between fill-ups.
As previously reported by Autocar, the stack will be replaced by a new 100kW unit that's some 30% smaller and will last 50-100% longer. Hyundai claimed the old stack was capable of 5000 hours or 100,000 miles of use.
Other updates – likely to comprise a more efficient battery and motor – will also help in boosting the Nexo’s range to the 500-mile figure reported by Korean media.
Range will be instrumental in the Nexo’s success, given the limited number of hydrogen filling stations across the globe. In the UK, just six stations are currently operational.
Affordability will also be a key consideration: the current Nexo's £69,495 price tag makes it the most expensive model in Hyundai’s line-up, ultimately limiting its appeal.
Fewer than 50 Nexos have been sold since it arrived in the UK five years ago and fewer than 10 have been sold over the past two years.
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Ok, come on, let's hear it then, can't blame for joining the other early adopters who are trying to push this alternative to EV power, shouldn't there be another means to power your car?