Hyundai’s five ix35 fuel-cell vehicles are all set to hit the roads in the UK, as part of the London Hydrogen Network Expansion (LHNE) project. The London Hydrogen Network Expansion is trying its best to establish the first hydrogen transport infrastructure in the southeast of England. The LHNE is being run by a consortium of companies which specialize in different aspects of using hydrogen as a fuel.
The auto manufacturer claims that the ix35 is the world’s first production fuel-cell car. Hyundai assured that it will be producing 1,000 of these vehicles by 2015. The company also said that most of those 1,000 cars will be sent to Europe, as the European Commission has established a number of schemes – like the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (HJU) – to promote the use of hydrogen as a zero carbon fuel.
Hyundai released a statement which said that the ix35 fuel cell SUV has been designed to offer the same practicality, safety levels and driving experience as an ix35 driven by an internal combustion engine.
The Hyundai fuel cell takes around three minutes to refuel and at the moment, there are two hydrogen filling stations in London, out of which one is open to the public and a third one is being planned.
