Hyundai will launch a new SUV hydrogen

Frédéric Mercier

Friday, 18 August, 2017 11:36

UPDATE
Friday, 18 August, 2017 11:36

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When we think of the future of the automobile, electric cars often hold all the attention. Except that other technologies will also point to the tip of the nose. Such as hydrogen, for example.

Hyundai is one of the few automakers already have their feet in this arena. In the United States and in British Columbia, it offers a vehicle of this kind, built from the platform of the previous generation of the Tucson.

Read our comprehensive road test of the Hyundai Tucson VEGF

Except that here it is. This vehicle is aging, and Hyundai has just revealed a few images of the SUV that will replace it eventually. And it is not a ugly shocking!

Hyundai’s Next-Generation VEGF

Enhanced battery life

This new vehicle, that has been temporarily dubbed the Next Generation VEGF (for Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle) will peel off the Tucson to become a model full. Its design reminds us all of even one of the new Kona, an SUV, in the template smaller than the Tucson, and that will happen soon on the north american market.

On the mechanical side, the new vehicle Korean will be able to browse some 580 kilometers with a hydrogen tank. We are talking about a power quite shy of 167 horses, which still represents a significant improvement of 20% compared to the Tucson Fuel Cell.

Hyundai’s Next-Generation VEGF

Accessibility deficient

The idea behind a hydrogen-driven vehicle is smart enough. Brilliant, even. Make full do not take more time than with a gasoline vehicle. Then, in place of the engine, a small electric power plant is responsible for transforming the hydrogen into electricity. Result: a vehicle that pollutes very little, to which the only emissions are a few drops of water which flow out through the exhaust pipe.

The catch is that the accessibility of charging stations into hydrogen remains very limited. So limited that Hyundai does not market this model in only a few geographical areas in specific.

In Canada, only the inhabitants of the Vancouver area can now rent a Tucson VEGF. I say rent, because it does not offer any option to purchase. In the United States, the offer is not much more attractive. Apart from California, it is a big zero.

If the refueling stations hydrogen began to grow as did the charging stations for electric vehicles, with models like the new Hyundai’s Next-Generation VEGF, may well become a serious rival to Tesla in this world. In the meantime, it only remains a dream rather shy.

Hyundai’s Next-Generation VEGF