Hyundai’s Hydrogen-powered Car Coming To India In 2021

While most car makers are joining the electrification bandwagon, Hyundai is already thinking ahead

• Nexo uses hydrogen fuel cells to power the electric motor for better range, with water as the only emission.

• Over 600km of range as per the WLTP test, 800km in Korea and over 1000km expected in India.

• Already on sale internationally, Hyundai plans to launch it in India by 2021.

• Was showcased at India-Korea summit in the country in 2018.

• Hyundai says Nexo’s 156.6-litre fuel cell tanks can be refuelled in 5 minutes.

Shortly after launching India’s first long-range electric vehicle, Hyundai is already planning to bring in its next green car. Except, this one is not just an EV, it is a hydrogen-powered SUV, the Nexo, where the only emission is clean water.

Hyundai Motor India’s Managing Director and CEO, SS Kim stated: “The Nexo is already on sale in Korea and we will be launching it in India in 2021. We will be partnering in building the required infrastructure for the Nexo in and around the Delhi-NCR area.” The Nexo uses hydrogen fuel cells to power an electric motor and has a range of over 600km on the WLTP test cycle (world harmonized light-duty vehicles test procedure) in Europe, 800km in the Korean test cycle and Kim believes, in India, it could deliver over 1000km. 

The Nexo’s electric motor has an output of 163PS of power and 395Nm of torque with a 0-100kmph time of 9.2 seconds. At 4670mm long, it’s significantly bigger than the Creta and still bigger than the Tucson too. It is a premium offering with a host of comforts and driving assists in the international markets. It is based on a newly developed platform that integrates three tanks with a volume of 52.2 litres of hydrogen each - 156.6 litres in total. Hyundai says it only takes 5 minutes to fully refuel the Nexo’s tanks which is a big advantage over EVs.

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Hyundai had showcased the Nexo at the India-Korea summit in 2018 and will likely begin testing it here in 2020. While the Kona Electric was recently launched for Rs 25.3 lakh (ex-showroom India), the more advanced Nexo would be priced significantly higher even with the upcoming tax reforms for clean energy vehicles in India. Like the Kona, the Nexo would also be offered in limited cities before the required infrastructure is set up through private partnerships, starting with Delhi-NCR.

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