Hyundai recently delivered its first NEXO fuel-cell SUV for the U.S. market.
Tom Hochrad, a former scientist, picked up his hydrogen-powered SUV at Keyes Hyundai in Van Nuys, California. The NEXO is the only mass-produced fuel-cell SUV for the U.S. market, boasting a range of up to 380 miles, according to Hyundai.
“NEXO is the new technological flagship of Hyundai’s growing eco-vehicle portfolio and marks Hyundai’s continued commitment and momentum with the industry’s most diverse SUV lineup,” the automaker said.
Hochrad purchased his first hybrid car more than 15 years ago, and he has driven dedicated electric vehicles as well. His new NEXO will deliver about five times the driving range of his first all-electric car, according to Hyundai.
NEXO uses a number of ecological materials in its construction, including soybean-oil based polyurethane paint, bamboo-thread-based bio fabric, along with bio-plastic and bio-carpet extracted from sugar cane. Bio-based materials were applied to 47 different parts and reduced CO2 emissions by 26 pounds during the manufacturing process, according to Hyundai.
The NEXO features a number of advance driver-assistance systems, including forward collision-avoidance assist, lane-following assist, driver-attention warning and high-beam assist. Remote smart parking assist enables NEXO to autonomously park or retrieve itself from a parallel or perpendicular parking space with or without a driver in the vehicle.
Hyundai’s blind-spot view monitor projects the side views of NEXO in the center cluster using cameras that monitor areas that can’t be seen by a traditional rearview mirror, according to Hyundai.
NEXO can be leased for $399 (Blue model) or $449 (Limited model) for 36 months and can be purchased for $58,300. The first year of maintenance is free of charge, and customers are eligible for a tax credit (subject to individual tax circumstances) from the state of California for up to $5,000.
Purchasers of new Hyundai NEXO SUVs will receive hydrogen-fueling cards with a combined maximum value of $13,000 to be used during the first three years of vehicle ownership, Hyundai noted.
