HYUNDAI NEXO ESTATE Hydrogen fuel cell Premium SE 5dr CVT

Thinking electric? Hyundai's NEXO prioritises a different, cleaner way. Jonathan Crouch checks it out.

Ten Second Review

For decades now, we've had a means of propulsion infinitely more eco-friendly than anything electrical. Hydrogen fuel cell models such as this Hyundai NEXO emit nothing more harmful than water and would make far more sense than any EV if they were cheaper and had a better developed fuelling infrastructure to support likely owners. In the future, that'll change. And when it does, this car shows just how ready Hyundai is to respond.

Background

Hyundai, like Toyota, claims to have originated hydrogen fuel cell development. The Korean maker's ix35 Fuel Cell model hit the market back in 2015, about the same time as the Toyota Mirai. Which was subsequently followed by the Honda Clarity FCV, these two cars being market's only other hydrogen models designed to date. The NEXO is certainly well placed to benefit from the upsurge in demand for this technology that should manifest itself when China gets round to delivering on recent promises to dramatically develop its hydrogen fuelling infrastructure. The absence of this in the UK though, means that demand for this Hyundai on these shores will be tiny.

Driving Experience

You might imagine that the NEXO drives a bit like an electric car - which is true to a point, in terms of the eerily quiet refinement and the regenerative braking force you can fiddle with to increase energy harvesting and off-throttle retardation. You don't get the surprising initial speed of an EV though and in theory, a hydrogen fuel cell model ought to be a bit more agile because it doesn't have to hump around a load of heavy battery cells. Sure enough, tipping the scales at 1,814kgs, the NEXO is around half a tonne lighter than, say, a Jaguar I-PACE or an Audi e-tron, though to be frank, it doesn't feel like it. Hopefully, future fuel cell models will handle a little more sharply than this. The powertrain's built around a fuel cell of Hyundai's own design comprising of a cathode, an anode and a polymer electrolyte membrane. This sits beneath the bonnet generating energy for a 161bhp electric motor that drives the front wheels and is also boosted by a 1.56kWh lithium-ion battery that harvests energy from the regenerative braking system. Performance, which sees 60mph crested from rest in 9.5s en route to 111mph, is sufficient but unremarkable (an I-PACE, say, would sprint to that figure in half the time) and the car rather runs out of puff once you approach the legal limit. Of more interest to an eco-minded potential operator is the news that the NEXO 'cleans the air around it' as it drives, its air filtration system removing particles down to the level of PM 2.5.

Design and Build

Hyundai, unlike its rival Toyota, has decided to clothe its fuel cell technology in the fashionable shape of an SUV. The NEXO is slightly bigger than its battery-powered Kona Electric showroom stablemate but, at 4.67-metres long, still not much larger than something like a Volkswagen Tiguan or a Volvo XC40. The styling's quite sleek in a conservative kind of way, with a rising belt line and a falling roof line. Aerodynamics have been prioritised, even in the shaping of the 19-inch wheels, and there's a completely flat underbody, plus door handles that retract into the bodywork after 5 seconds, or when you drive above walking speed. Take a seat up front and it's like no Hyundai you'll ever previously have sat in - and not only because of the liberal use of sustainable materials, like sugar cane, bamboo and vegan leather for the seats. A high-rise centre console that's absolutely peppered with buttons incorporates a big central touchscreen full of hydrogen-bespoke graphics and menu options, navigable via touch, a lower dial or various buttons. The instrument binnacle gauges are (naturally) digitally displayed on a further screen you view through the curiously shaped two-spoke wheel. And soft-touch rubbery plastics and little touches like the drilled metal speaker grilles do their best to impart the intended premium ambiance. In the back, there's 740mm of legroom and 930mm of headroom, respective figures that, to give you some perspective, are a little more and a little less than an Audi Q5. The 461-litre boot capacity though, is some way off the class standard, inevitably compromised by the large battery beneath the cargo area floor.

Market and Model

If the difficulty of refuelling this NEXO didn't put you off owning one, the £70,000 asking price very well might. That was certainly the case with this model's direct predecessor, the ix35 Fuel Cell model, which found only 17 buyers. Hyundai's expecting to do a bit better than that this time round in the UK - but not much. For the time being, the NEXO is more a statement of intent, with profitable potential for the brand in markets that have already fully invested in a hydrogen infrastructure (like Norway and the Netherlands) as well as in others about to do so (like Germany and China). At least you won't find the process of market comparison too taxing. For the time being, there's actually only one other hydrogen fuel cell car on sale in our market, the Toyota Mirai, which costs about the same. There's only one trim level available - 'Premium SE' - and it includes just about everything you might want. Including heated and ventilated seats trimmed in vegan leather, a (rather small) sunroof, a premium Krell audio system and a full suite of infotainment features, including navigation and 'Apple CarPlay'/'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. Plus there's lots of safety kit, including not only autonomous braking, forward collision warning and lane keep assist but also a 'Blind-spot View Monitor, which when you flick an indicator, uses cameras to show live images of what's in your C-pillar blind spots via the instrument display. 'Level 4' so-called 'mind off' autonomous driving is apparently possible using the combined safety camera set-up, but current UK legislation doesn't allow for it.

Cost of Ownership

Like its direct rival, Toyota's second generation Mirai, the NEXO's hydrogen fuel load is split between three tanks rather like scuba diving cylinders, positioned either side of the rear axle. These can be topped up via a port above the rear wheel arch and store up to 6.3kg of hydrogen at a pressure of up to 700 bar. That's fractionally less than the capacity of a MK2 Mirai, as is the driving range, WLTP rated at 413 miles (27 miles less than that Toyota). The stored hydrogen is channelled through a fuel cell stack together with oxygen from the ambient air, creating a chemical reaction that generates only electricity, heat and water, the latter exiting through an exhaust tip positioned below the rear bumper. A hydrogen refill takes about the same amount of time as filling the tank of a conventional combustion engine petrol or diesel model - around five minutes. That's the good news. The bad news is that finding a hydrogen station to facilitate that process is likely to be a challenge. At the time of writing, there were just 16 operational hydrogen fuel stations in the UK, with six more being planned. Those already operational are mainly located around London and the M4 corridor, but there are also stations near Sheffield and Birmingham, plus two in Aberdeen and one on Orkney. There are plans to increase the number of available stations to 65 by the year 2025. The sat nav system can show you how far you can expect to travel on your remaining fuel level. And when you're running low, it can guide you to the nearest filling station.

Summary

Forget electric cars: the vehicles your children will one day be driving will be hydrogen fuel cell-powered. Hopefully for the sake of our planet anyway. Would that the motor industry had ignored short-sighted governmental pressure and dispensed with its current electrified era, one that in many respects simply moves the automotive polluting point back to smoky power stations. By 2025, things might look a little different, even in the UK. By then, if promises are kept, there'll be more than four times as many hydrogen filling stations here. And Hyundai promises that thanks to the development programme it plans with Audi, future fuel cell cars will be around 30% cheaper. Until then, in this country at least, cars like the NEXO will for most of us remain little more than an interesting technological showcase. And a damming statement of where the motor industry really ought to be.

Body Glass

Automatic defog system for front windscreen

Solar glass with windscreen shade band

Heated rear windscreen with washer

Adjustable intermittent front windscreen wipers with aero wiper blade

Brakes

Regenerative braking system

Hill start assist control (HAC)

Electronic stability control

Electric parking brake

Anti-lock braking system (ABS)

Communication

Apple car play/Android Auto

Bluetooth connectivity with voice recognition

Wireless phone charging pad

Driver Aids

Driver attention alert system

Blind Spot Detection (BAS)

Smart cruise control with stop and go functionality

Around View Monitor

Power assist steering

Front and rear parking sensors

Drive mode selector

Lane departure warning system with lane keep assist - LKAS

Smart park assist system (SPAS)

Parking system with rear camera and guidance system

Speed limit information

Driver Convenience

eCall emergency system

Tailgate

Smart electric tailgate with hand's free opening function

Driver Information

Supervision cluster with 7" TFT display

Blind spot monitor

12.3" touchscreen satellite navigation and media centre

Trip computer

Driving Mirrors

Automatic dimming rear view mirror

Gloss Black door mirrors with integrated indicators

Electric adjustable/heated/folding door mirrors

Entertainment

DAB Digital radio

2x USB sockets in front

USB connection

Steering wheel mounted audio controls

Krell premium audio system with 8 speakers and subwoofer

Exterior Body Features

Electric tilt/slide sunroof

Rear side wing doors

Two tone rear bumper

Door garnish in silver grey

Silver roof rails

Body coloured front bumper with dark metallic grey

Chrome beltline mouldings

Body coloured exterior door handles

Body coloured radiator grille surround

Side sill mouldings

Rear roof spoiler with integrated LED brake light

Exterior Lights

LED daytime running lights

Positioning Lights - LED

LED rear fog light

Full LED headlights

LED rear combination lights

Door mirror puddle lights

Automatic headlights with dusk sensor

Heating/Cooling/Ventilation

Dual zone air conditioning

Interior Features

12V power outlets in front and rear consoles

Faux leather wrapped steering wheel

Height and reach adjustable steering wheel

Cloth/faux leather upholstery

Regenerative braking paddles

Heated steering wheel

Luggage hooks

Chrome effect interior door handles

Front and rear cup holders

Driver and passenger front seat pockets

Rear centre console with air vents

Luggage net

Luggage cover

Interior Lights

Front, rear and luggage compartment interior lights

Illuminated glovebox

Safety

3 point seatbelts on all rear seats

Height adjustable front seatbelts

Autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with forward collision warning system

Airbags - front, front side and curtain airbags

Tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS)

Active bonnet

Childproof rear door locks

Seats

Heated rear seats

Heated front seats

Single front passenger seat

Vertical adjustment rear head restraints

Ventilated front seats

3 rear seats

Front head restraints with vertical and horizontal adjustment

Front passenger's seat electric height adjustment

Drivers seat with electric height adjustment + electric lumbar support

60/40 split folding rear seat

ISOFIX child seat anchorage points attached on outer rear seats

Security

Smart key with keyless entry and engine start/stop button

Thatcham category 1 alarm

Remote central locking

Engine immobiliser

Vanity Mirrors

Driver and passenger sunvisors with illuminated vanity mirrors

Wheels

19" Hankook tyres

Wheels - Alloy

19" Alloy wheels

Wheels - Spare

Tyre repair kit

Electric Vehicle Data

Battery Capacity in kWh: 1.56

Battery Type: Lithium-ion

Emissions - ICE

Standard Euro Emissions: EURO 6

CO: N

HC: N

NOx: N

HC+NOx: N

Particles: N

Noise Level dB(A): N

CO2 (g/km): 0

Engine and Drive Train

Engine Layout: N

Gears: 1 SPEED

Transmission: AUTO

CC: 1

Compression Ratio: N

Cylinders - Stroke (mm): N

Cylinders - Bore (mm): N

Catalytic Convertor: 0

Fuel Delivery: N

Camshaft: N

Number of Valves: N

Cylinders: N

Cylinder Layout: N

Fuel Cell Vehicle Data

WLTP - Zero Emission Range (miles) - Comb: 414

WLTP - Zero Emission Range (km) - Comb: 666

Fuel Consumption - FCV

WLTP - Hydrogen FC (miles/kg) - Medium: 77.7

WLTP - Hydrogen FC (kg/100km) - Comb: 1

WLTP - Hydrogen FC (kg/100km) - Extra High: 1.2

WLTP - Hydrogen FC (kg/100km) - High: 0.9

WLTP - Hydrogen FC (kg/100km) - Low: 0.8

WLTP - Hydrogen FC (kg/100km) - Medium: 0.8

WLTP - Hydrogen FC (miles/kg) - Comb: 62.1

WLTP - Hydrogen FC (miles/kg) - Extra High: 51.8

WLTP - Hydrogen FC (miles/kg) - High: 69

WLTP - Hydrogen FC (miles/kg) - Low: 77.7

Fuel Consumption - ICE

EC Combined (mpg): N

EC Extra Urban (mpg): N

EC Urban (mpg): N

EC Directive 1999/100/EC Applies: N

General

Alternative Fuel Qualifying: No

Did at least one aspect of this vehicle's safety give cause for concern?: 0

Special Edition: 0

Special Order: 0

Based On ID: N

Insurance Group 1 - 50 Effective January 07: 39D

NCAP Adult Occupant Protection %: N

NCAP Child Occupant Protection %: N

NCAP Pedestrian Protection %: N

NCAP Safety Assist %: N

NCAP Overall Rating - Effective February 09: N

Badge Power: 163

Badge Engine CC: 0

Vehicle Homologation Class: M1

AdBlue: 0

Coin Description: Hydrogen fuel cell

Coin Series: Premium SE

Standard manufacturers warranty - Years: 5

Standard manufacturers warranty - Mileage: 999999

Performance

0 to 62 mph (secs): 9.5

Engine Power - BHP: 163

Engine Power - PS: No

0 to 60 mph (secs): 0

Top Speed: 111

Engine Power - KW: 120

Engine Power - RPM: N

Engine Torque - LBS.FT: 291

Engine Torque - NM: 395

Engine Torque - MKG: 40.3

Engine Torque - RPM: N

Test Cycles

RDE Certification Level: N/A

Emissions Test Cycle: NEDC Correlated

Tyres

Space Saver?: 0

Wheel Style: N

Wheel Type: 19" ALLOY

Tyre Size Front: 245/45 R19

Tyre Size Spare: TYRE REPAIR KIT

Tyre Size Rear: 245/45 R19

Alloys?: No

Vehicle Dimensions

Wheelbase: 2790

Width (including mirrors): N

Height: 1640

Height (including roof rails): N

Width: 1860

Length: 4670

Weight and Capacities

Gross Vehicle Weight: 2340

Minimum Kerbweight: 1874

Turning Circle - Kerb to Kerb: 11.2

Fuel Tank Capacity (Litres): 156.6

Max. Towing Weight - Braked: N

Max. Towing Weight - Unbraked: N

Max. Loading Weight: 466

Luggage Capacity (Seats Up): 461

No. of Seats: 5

Max. Roof Load: 100

Luggage Capacity (Seats Down): 1466

Exterior Body Features

Pearlescent paint

Matt paint

Paint - Metallic

Metallic - Copper

Metallic - Shimmering Silver

Paint - Pearlescent

Pearl - Ocean indigo

Pearl - Creamy white

Paint - Special

Matt - Titanium grey

Trim - Part Leather

Cloth/faux leather - Grey