Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell sets top speed record

A new video released by Hyundai USA highlights that the Hyundai Tucson Fuel Cell has set a new land speed record of 152 km/h (94.6 mph). Shot at the Soggy Dry Lake Bed in the California desert, it seems that it’s not the only thing that the brand wants to put on record.

It’s a clever (and discreet) way to showcase how the Korean brand has actually beaten other automakers to the hydrogen-power game. Hyundai highlights that the Tucson Fuel Cell was the first mass-produced fuel cell car with almost a hundred of its hydrogen-powered Tucsons already roaming the streets of California.

The company further emphasises that the first vehicle was delivered to a customer back in June 2014. In addition to that, a look at its website shows that with the Tucson’s high ground clearance, it’s actually the first hydrogen-powered SUV to have travelled on off-road terrain (desert terrain).

Inside the front-wheel drive Tucson Fuel Cell, is a 134 hp electric motor. In addition, it has hydrogen storage tanks with a capacity of 5.63 kg, which only require 10 minutes to fill up to full. Batteries are 24 kW lithium-ion polymer cells, that allow for a travel range of 426 km. It’s mated to a single-speed transmission.

Based on the website, Southern California, where hydrogen refuelling is currently centred at, will see some 50 hydrogen infrastructures in operation by 2016. Here, the brand says that it’s ready to cater to increasing consumer demand in California and other future states, which are planning to introduce hydrogen fuelling.

As mentioned, while Hyundai has already been in the picture for some years now, other brands have just begun to catch on in terms of fuel cell vehicles and production. Some of these include Toyota with its newly launched Mirai, Honda’s FCV, Audi, BMW, Nissan, Ford and Daimler.

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