CarShowroom.com.au has just driven the Hyundai ix35 FUEL CELL SUV at the companies R&D centre in Namyang, Korea. The facility is a a truly impressive place, employing over 10,000 people and encompassing a area of 3,470,000 square metres including its one proving ground. Hyundai have another six R&D centres around the world.
The opportunity to drive the Hyundai ix35 FUEL CELL was perfect as only a fortnight ago the first production ix35 FUEL CELL was delivered to a customer in Huntington Beach, California.
The Hyundai ix35 FUEL CELL which has a range of 425kms only takes 10 minutes to fill its hydrogen tank and only emits water vapour.
Our test drive was very brief, in fact we only had the opportunity to drive the Hyundai ix35 FUEL CELL on a 1.2km loop. When we jumped in the drivers seat there were no noticeable signs to tell you that you are in a hybrid expect for the display screen that display battery level and regenerative charge.
Plant your right foot and the instantaneous torque of the electric motor quietly launches you at constant speed all the way up to a top speed of 160 km/h. The 0-100km/h dash is completed in 12.5 seconds compared to the 2.0L Diesel that does it in 10.7 seconds, it isn’t too sluggish. from the exterior the only way to tell a Hundai ix35 FUEL CELL would be from the rear where there is a lack of exhausts to tell with normal emissions.
The ix35 FUEL CELL is quiet, which makes the wind and tyre noise standout more due to the lack of engine noise, we are sure that in normally driving conditions with the radio on you would never notice the noise, it would just be like a normal car.
At this stage the major problem of getting a ix35 FUEL CELL to Australia is the lack of refelling stations. Hyundai Motor Company Australia is currently investigating the options for bringing an ix35 Fuel Cell to Australia for a limited trial. Is anyone willing to take on the oil companies and set-up a network of Hydrogen fuelling depots?
In California where the ix35 Fuel Cell is available for sale California approved a plan in October 2013 to develop up to 100 hydrogen refuelling stations in the state over the next several years. This recent California initiative dovetails with increased government support of hydrogen infrastructure development at the federal level, such as H2USA. As you read this today California currently have over 50 stations (open, in-development, and proposed). What are the chances of our governments and federal and/or state level doing something like this?
