Hyundai has announced that its new ix35 Fuel Cell is now available to members of the public.  The ix35 Fuel Cell is the world’s first mass-produced fuel cell vehicle, and has been available to selected customers for trial purposes since 2013. However, Hyundai has now opened up the order books to anyone able to stomach the £53,105 asking price.  That figure includes a partial rebate from the HyFive project, a consortium of five car manufacturers and 10 other companies with ties to hydrogen production and supply, that aims to boost the uptake of fuel cell vehicles in the coming years.  Without the rebate, the ix35 Fuel Cell would cost an even-more-eye-watering £67,985.  So, what do you get for your money? Well, at the Fuel Cell’s heart sits a 134bhp electric motor which can power it to a top speed of 100mph.  The motor is powered by a fuel cell fed by two hydrogen storage tanks with a total capacity of 5.64kg, giving a total range of 369 miles. Energy is stored in a 24kWh lithium-ion battery, and as with all hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, the only exhaust emission is water vapour.  Hyundai adds that the ix35 Fuel Cell can ‘reliably start’ in temperatures as low as -25C, highlighting the fact that the technology still has some way to go before it can be used by everyone, everywhere.  Nevertheless, early adopters and keen environmentalists can now order a fuel cell vehicle of their own – though they’ll have to do so directly via Hyundai UK, rather than through their local dealership.
First production hydrogen fuel cell vehicle now available for the public to order – but it won’t come cheap