Hyundai has announced that it has finished developing its next generation fuel cell vehicle, the Tucson ix.

The vehicle can travel 650km on one charge, compared to 370km on its second generation Tucson fuel cell electric vehicle. The new model gets gasoline equivalent fuel efficiency of 31 kilometers per liter, a 15 percent improvement over the previous version.

Hyundai has reduced the size of the fuel cell system by 20 per cent compared to the previous version, by modularising key components, including the fuel cell stack, balance of plant, inverter and high voltage junction box.

Testing is planned for 2011, intending to lead to mass production in 2015.

It has a 100 kW fuel cell and two 700 bar compressed hydrogen tanks. It can start in -25 degrees centigrade.

Over 95 per cent of the major components are made with Korean technology, in collaboration with around 120 South Korean auto parts manufacturers.

Next year, 48 Tucson ix FCEV’s will be part of a `Domestic Fleet Program’ supported by the Korean government.

Hyundai plans to make a limited supply of the Tucson ix FCEV in 2012 and begin mass production in 2015.

source: hyundai news room