CARS.COM — Hyundai today unveiled what it calls the “technology flagship” of its green-car portfolio, a dedicated hydrogen fuel-cell SUV named Nexo, at the 2018 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. The vehicle not only includes Hyundai’s latest fuel-cell system, but also will serve as a platform for testing implementation of more advanced driver assistance systems.
Related: More 2018 CES Coverage
While fuel-cell development seems to have taken a backseat to battery electric cars, Hyundai is among the world automakers continuing to advance fuel-cell development as a possible long-term low-emissions solution. Hyundai also has rolled out the Ioniq line of dedicated electrified sedans that includes a hybrid, plug-in hybrid and battery electric.
A fuel-cell vehicle is essentially an electric car that produces its own electricity to drive the motor using a fuel cell that combines hydrogen gas from onboard tanks with oxygen from the air.
The Nexo will be available globally in 2018 in “select markets” that have hydrogen available to power the fuel cell. It’s a second generation of Hyundai fuel-cell SUVs, following the modified Tucson that has been available in the U.S. primarily in Southern California. Hyundai says Nexo improves the range of the Tucson fuel cell by 105 miles to 370 miles on hydrogen refueling.