Try it, Hyundai Nexo: is hydrogen a plausible alternative?

Try it, Hyundai Nexo

The relentless race towards alternative solutions to fossil fuels did not stop with the arrival of the now cleared electric cars, some manufacturers have in fact wanted to experiment with alternative solutions that are still not very widespread at the moment; is the example of Hyundai who have been working for more than 17 years on alternative technologies such as the combustion of pressurized hydrogen to transform it into zero emission energy through fuel cells - called Fuel Cell by Hyundai itself - and that the first time on the Hyundai Ix35 and which sees in Hyundai Nexo the pinnacle of modern technology and allows to propose a real alternative to traditional electric cars and which, in Italy, has the absolute lack of refueling stations as its only limit. >
The Nexo is massive, being comparable in size to the generous Santa Fe, and inside it contains quality materials and cutting-edge technology, all combined with "old school" buttons as few cars can say they have. ; in fact, the dashboard has more than 30 different buttons, each with a specific function.

Federicovecchio.com Federicovecchio.com The cockpit is spacious and well designed, the central tunnel is so high that all the controls are handy to the detriment of the limited space for telephone, keys and various objects which is compensated by a large storage compartment underneath.

The real gem of this car is the fuel it uses, in fact it is one of the few cars in existence to be powered by a fuel that is foreign to many, hydrogen. The technology developed by Hyundai makes it possible to use the car exactly like an electric car - with all the advantages of the case such as immediate acceleration and silence - however, combining it with the ease of refueling of a traditional car; in fact, a few minutes will be enough for a complete refueling that guarantees about 600km in the WLTP cycle even if in our test the car would have finished its tank in less than 520km.

We use the conditional because we could not use it as we do. usually with other vehicles with different engines, this is not the fault of Hyundai, but because of the hydrogen infrastructure in Italy which currently has only one charging station in Bolzano. This incredibly limits the sale of this car in Italy, a real shame because hydrogen could be a valid alternative to classic electric technology.

Federicovecchio.com Federicovecchio.com Obviously the technology will come fully developed in the future, in fact, the Fuel Cell begins to lose efficiency after 10 years or 160,000km traveled, but unlike the batteries, the range is not reduced but the performance delivered.

Speaking of this last, we are not referring to a car that is able to attach you to the seat, with its 161 hp combined with a weight of more than 1800kg performance is not its strong point but Nexo, from the beginning, is more an exercise in style from Hyundai than a mass produced. The price of 69,000 euros will be the least of the problems for any Italian consumers who will be forced to look elsewhere, due to the lack of adequate infrastructure, and in this case we are really talking about a single station in the whole country. The hydrogen on the Nexo is divided into 3 different cylinders which did not limit the space for the passenger compartment but certainly influenced the capacity of the boot, decreasing it to 461 liters against the 534 of the nearby Santa Fe.

Federicovecchio .com At the wheel, Nexo behaves excellently, comfortably and silently, it is able to absorb the roughness of the asphalt with extreme gentleness, guaranteeing passenger comfort even in extreme situations. The technology on board - despite being a 2018 car - is in step with the times, boasting a wide selection of cameras including those under the mirrors that are activated automatically when the turn indicator is inserted, definitely useful in case of rain. , And having well-functioning and calibrated ADAS such as Adaptive Cruise Control and Lane Assist + Lane Centering.

In general, Hyundai Nexo seemed to us a complete and interesting car, with a futuristic design and innovative technology and we are curious to see how Hyundai will continue the development of the Fuel Cell in the future, while the rest of the world is now aiming only on classic drums.

Federicovecchio.com